International Level Crossing Awareness Day observed at Salem Division Southern Railway

International Level Crossing Awareness Day was observed today (03.06.2015) at Salem Division Southern Railway.  As part of the campaign, to create awareness among the general public on safely using the level crossings and to avoid loss of human lives, counseling sessions were conducted at various Gram Panchayats, Schools and pamphlets carrying safety measures to be observed while using Level Crossings, were distributed among road users.  Road shows were also conducted with skit and dramas, audio visual warning messages, in various places within the jurisdiction of Salem Division.  The road show van will travel from Salem to Karur and meet general public, road users and rail users with a view to create awareness among them.  

While meeting the media representatives, Sri Shubhranshu, Divisional Railway Manager, Salem Division, said that both the Indian Railways Act and various Road Safety Rules were framed only with a view to eliminate loss of human lives at the level crossings. He said when compared to the LC accident/death records of various countries such as USA (287 deaths in 2087 accidents), the death toll in Indian Railways is very less (231 people died in 58 accidents).  As far as Salem Division is concerned, in the last year, there were only 2 incidents, in which 1 person has died, he added. In the overall safety history of Salem Division, he said that in the last 8 years of existence of Salem Division, there were 15 accidents happened, in which 14 people died and 16 injured. He said that however, the ultimate aim of the Salem Division is to bring down the casualties of LC accidents to Nil. 

Shri Shubhranshu further said that Out of the 317 Level Crossings in Salem Division, 79 are unmanned and these unmanned level crossings will be eliminated in phases by manning, by diverting the traffic to nearby road, by construction of Limited Use Subway (LUS) or  Road Over Bridget (ROB) with the assistance of the State Government.  He thanked the active support by various District Collectors within the Salem Division in helping to achieve this target. He said that in the meantime 35 Level Crossing Helpers called Gate Mitras have been positioned in unmanned level crossings to regulate the traffic in such LCs and to educate the public on safe crossing. 

While expressing satisfaction over the growth of awareness among public on safe usage of level crossings thanks to the  active role of media, Shri Shubhranshu said that Salem Division is arranging to telecast clippings on ‘Safe Crossing of unmanned Level Crossings’ in local television channels, showing of slides in 15 cinema theatres, airing of public safety awareness program in Kodai FM channel, distribution of pens, pencils, erasers printed with safety slogans to school children and an SMS campaign to mobile users.

Shri R.S. Sinha, Addl. Divisional Railway Manager, Salem Division, Sri B.S. Rajan, Sr.Divisional Safety Officer, Salem Division, Sri Ma. Vignavelu, Sr.Divisional Engineer/Co-ordination, Salem Division, were present during the Press Meet.