Panel to study accidents at level crossings

South Western Railway (SWR) general manager Praveen Kumar has announced the constitution of a special task force to examine the reasons for accidents at unmanned level crossings in the state.

The decision comes in the wake of a series of such accidents in the recent past, which has claimed many a life.

Speaking to reporters, he said the SWR would take appropriate action to prevent such accidents based on the recommendations of the experts' panel. It may be recalled that three people, including seer Punyananda Swami were killed when their car was hit by a speeding train at an unmanned level crossing near Davanagere.

He said the construction of an SWR zonal headquarters building and the gauge conversion work on the Bagalkot-Gadag section would be completed by 2008. He said the SWR had been allotted Rs 245 crore for gauge conversion works as against Rs 92.63 crore last year.

For the doubling of tracks, the SWR has received Rs 93.60 crore for 2007-2008 as against Rs 22.01 crore the previous year. Similarly, there has been a hike in the allotment of funds for track renewal, road safety and amenities to staff. The allocation for passenger amenities has been raised from Rs 12. 17 crore to Rs 19.40 crore.

Highlighting SWR's success in 2006-2007, he said it made rapid strides in both freight and passenger traffic after its formation in 2003. In the fifth year, the SWR is poised to reach a target of freight loading of 48.5 million tonnes and carrying 119.39 million passengers in 2007-2008.

SWR has already registered a 12 per cent increase in freight loading, largely involving manganese, iron ore and steel, and 28.40 per cent in freight earnings, compared with last year.

Replying to a question on giving preference to Kannada-speaking people in recruitment of employees in SWR, Praveen Kumar that there was no provision in the Railways to recruit employees on a geographical basis as Railways was a central government institution.

On the long-pending Hubli-Ankola project, he said the project was stuck for want of environmental clearance for construction along some parts of the Western Ghats.

"The matter is now pending before the Supreme Court Empowerment Committee (a panel that looks into complaints pertaining to forests, whose recommendations are presented before the apex court) and we cannot pursue the project unless the court takes a decision," he said.