75 out of 97 level crossings left open

Bangabandhu Bridge-Joydevpur Rail Line
75 out of 97 level crossings left open
At least 75 of the 97 level crossings on the Bangabandhu Bridge-Joydevpur rail line have been left without gates and gatemen rendering them risky for pedestrians and vehicles, reports The Daily Star.
Even the level crossings with gates and gatemen are unsafe too, as the ill-paid gatemen do not perform their duties properly.
A large number of vehicles, including heavy ones, and pedestrians pass through the level crossings everyday and quite a few accidents reportedly took place on the route since its construction.
Some 17 cloth-traders were killed when a speedy train hit a minibus carrying the traders at Rajabari level crossing under Kalihati upazila in Tangail on April 17, 2008. After investigation, it was found that the lone gateman at the crossing was asleep during the time of incident.
On February 9 last, four tempo passengers, including a mother and her four-year-old son, were killed and one minor girl injured when a speedy train struck the vehicle at Dapnagar crossing under Basail upazila in the district.
Nine days later, one woman was killed and another was critically injured when a train rammed a private car at Kumulli level crossing under Tangail district headquarters on February 18 last.
Railway officials said the Bangabandhu Bridge-Joydevpur rail line was constructed after inauguration of the Bangabandhu Bridge in 1998. Trains started plying the line from August 14, 2003.
The number of level crossings on the 98-kilometre rail line was then 81. After 2008, 16 more level crossings were built.
Meanwhile, 47 gatemen were recruited for 17 level crossings till 2008. Among them, only one is a permanent employee of the Railway department while the rest of them are master roll workers. A master roll gateman gets only Tk 80 a day.
Nurul Islam Ansari, assistant engineer of Bangladesh Railway (Joydevpur), told The Daily Star that seven of those gatemen, who were recruited on temporary basis, were made permanent. The rest 40 are getting that Tk 80 a day.
“We know the salary is poor compared to their responsibilities,” he said.
Local administrations have been managing five of the 97 level crossings with the financial help from some non-governmental sponsors since July 18, 2009.
Three locals were appointed as gatemen for each of the level crossings at Tenguria and Habla in Basail upazila, Bahontoli and Kolimajani in Mirzapur, and Salla in Kalihati upazila in the district.
Asim Talukder, divisional engineer for signal and telecom of Bangladesh Railway (Pakshi), told The Daily Star that the Railway department alone has not the ability to recruit so many gatemen at the unprotected level crossings.
Locals will have to come forward for it, he said adding that especially those, who have built roads through the level crossing, should appoint the gatemen.
“If they do so, the Railway department will provide training and other necessary supports to the gatemen,” he said.
The Railway Police Station (Dhaka), when contacted, could not specify how many accidents occurred on the Bangabandhu Bridge-Joydevpur rail line and how many people died in those accidents since the rail line was constructed.
They, however, said a total of 283 people died in different accidents in the police station area last year.

Courtesy of The Daily Star