About half a hundred level crossings along with the unprotected 30 km railway track of Mirsarai upazila of the Chittagong section of the Eastern Railway have become death traps for people in the area. Although one accident after another has taken place at these crossings, effective steps are not being taken. However, under a special project recently, the level crossings were supposed to implement the interlocking system, but it does not solve major problems.
It is learned that at least 50 illegal level crossings have been constructed from Dhumghat Railway Bridge in Mirsarai to Bariadhala in the south. The locals have confirmed that the smugglers have built these crossings in the interest of transporting the smuggled timber and goods. Although the railway authorities took light steps at different times to stop these crossings, it did not work.
Officials at the Chinki Astana railway station in Mirsarai said there were only seven authorized level crossings on the 30-kilometer route in the Mirsarai area. Apart from this, many illegal crossings have been made. Although the authorities have repeatedly taken steps to stop these, they have not been effective due to influential people.
According to the locals, no gateman has been appointed for these crossings. Occasionally, when accidents happen, people from the railways come and try to stop the traffic.
A similar situation exists at the level crossing in the Baratakia station area. Though no gateman has been appointed, small vehicles are moving day and night.
An official at a station on the Eastern Railway, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that at various times, illegal crossings were cordoned off with iron poles to prevent smugglers, but they were thrown out in the dark of night.
Meanwhile, Bariyahat level crossing is the most important of the seven approved level crossings. There have been several fatalities in accidents in this place.
Two people, including a doctor, were killed in the latest accident. At that time, 15 injured people were undergoing treatment at Chittagong Medical College Hospital.
There have been numerous deaths here before. One of them was the victim of a passenger bus accident a couple of years ago. Two people lost their lives at that time. At least 30 people were injured.
In the last five years, at least 20 people have died after being cut by a train at a crossing here.
According to the people of Bariahat area, there are frequent incidents of death due to being cut by a train at a crossing here. The main reason for these accidents is the market sitting on the railway line.
When people come to the market, they do not keep an eye on the train as they are busy with prices and quality of goods. Due to this, accidents happen here all the time.
Meanwhile, the government undertook a project in 2015 to rehabilitate and improve the quality of level crossing gates in the eastern part of the railway. Which expires on June 30 this year. Sheikh Naimul Haque, project director of Bangladesh Railway's Divisional Engineer-3 (Dhaka) and Eastern Railway's Level Crossing Gate Rehabilitation and Quality Development Project, said the interlocking system has been introduced at the legal level crossing gates of Mirsarai under the project. He said, "Although the duration of the project is till 2021, before that most of the level crossings have been brought under the interlocking system by 2019."
It is learned that the official of the railway said that the inter-logging system would be introduced but no inter-logging system was introduced at any level crossing.
