50,000 people died after being hit by trains in last 3 years

Minister of State for Railways Rajen Gohain informed the Lok Sabha today that nearly 50,000 people have lost their lives in the last three years on railway tracks after being hit by trains,

He said 49,790 deaths were reported between 2015-2017. The minister said that the deaths on railway tracks occur due to violating saftey and cautionary instructions, avoiding over bridges, trespassing and mobile phones while crossing railway tracks.

Gohain said the railways had taken corrective measures like regular announcements through passenger address system at stations urging passengers to use foot over bridges (FOBs), awareness drives against trespassing were conducted, construction of boundary walls, warning signs were erected to prevent accidental deaths on railway tracks.

Unauthorised trespassing on railway premises, including the track, is punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both,under  Section 147 of the Railways Act, 1989.

During 2017, a total of 1,73,112 people were prosecuted for trespassing. Most of the cases were reported from the Northern Railway with 7908 deaths, followed by 6149 deaths in the Southern Railway and 5670 deaths in the Eastern Railway, Gohain said.