Railways aim to eliminate unmanned level crossings by Sept

Union Railways Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday assured that the ministry will eliminate 95 to 97 percent of unmanned level crossings by September this year.

In an exclusive interview to ANI, Goyal said that only 58 unmanned level crossings are left across the country.

"This problem that had prevailed for decades in the Indian Railways, after Prime Minister Modi's government came in, we have been continuously eliminating unmanned level crossings at a never seen before speed. September last year when I took the review, there were about four and half thousand or so unmanned level crossings. We have decided that in one year, we will either close them or will man them or will divert them through a subway or a road over the bridge. And I am happy to share with you that out of the main routes only 58 unmanned level crossings are there in the whole country today. We are also trying to complete very soon," the Union Minister said.

"Across the Indian Railways in the broad gauge, we are hopeful that by September nearly 95-97 percent of unmanned crossings will be eliminated and within two-three months after that, we will reach 100 percent, except few which are technically and operationally unfeasible," he added.

On April 26, Railway Board Chairman Ashwani Lohani said that the railway is aiming to eliminate unmanned level crossings by March 2020.