Chennai: Three deaths on rail tracks a concern – Times of India

CHENNAI: Three people have died while crossing railway tracks at Tambaram and Chengalpet since Tuesday.
At Chengalpet, Raj Kumar, 35, a private employee from Maraimalai Nagar, was killed when after finishing his work he was heading home. An express train going towards Puducherry hit him when he was trying to cross the railway tracks between Maraimalai Nagar and Singaperumal Koil. He died on the spot.
In another incident, near Tambaram Sanatorium, Vishnu, 30, from Sembakkam was crossing the railway tracks between Chromepet and Tambaram Sanatorium when an EMU train from Chennai Beach to Tambaram hit him, killing him on the spot. A 55-year-old man who was trying to cross the stretch between Maraimalai Nagar and Singaperumal Koil was fatally run over by an express train. His identity was not known.
Three accidents in one day have sent shockwaves among rail users. As commuter traffic is back to peak levels, the number of people crossing tracks while using mobile phones has also increased. In many cases, people cross the tracks at the end of the platforms because it is more convenient than using foot overbridges.
People are also forced to cross the tracks because there are no convenient footover bridges or subways.
A Elumalai, public relations officer, Chennai division of Southern Railway, said that 602 people were run over by suburban and express trains in Chennai division in 2021.
K Baskar, a frequent commuter, said that a commuter was about to be hit by a train at Tiruvallur railway station on Tuesday morning. “The man was talking into his phone and was about to hop across a track to board Saptagiri Express. He did not spot a suburban train that was coming towards him. He was in a hurry as he did not want to miss the train. We shouted and alerted him in time.”
He also said that commuter associations have started to post awareness messages on social media groups to prevent runovers.
Chennai: Three people have died while crossing railway tracks at Tambaram and Chengalpet since Tuesday.
At Chengalpet, Raj Kumar, 35, a private employee from Maraimalai Nagar, was killed when after finishing his work he was heading home. An express train going towards Puducherry hit him when he was trying to cross the railway tracks between Maraimalai Nagar and Singaperumal Koil. He died on the spot.
In another incident, near Tambaram Sanatorium, Vishnu, 30, from Sembakkam was crossing the railway tracks between Chromepet and Tambaram Sanatorium when an EMU train from Chennai Beach to Tambaram hit him, killing him on the spot. A 55-year-old man who was trying to cross the stretch between Maraimalai Nagar and Singaperumal Koil was fatally run over by an express train. His identity was not known.
Three accidents in one day have sent shockwaves among rail users. As commuter traffic is back to peak levels, the number of people crossing tracks while using mobile phones has also increased. In many cases, people cross the tracks at the end of the platforms because it is more convenient than using foot overbridges.
People are also forced to cross the tracks because there are no convenient footover bridges or subways.
A Elumalai, public relations officer, Chennai division of Southern Railway, said that 602 people were run over by suburban and express trains in Chennai division in 2021.
K Baskar, a frequent commuter, said that a commuter was about to be hit by a train at Tiruvallur railway station on Tuesday morning. “The man was talking into his phone and was about to hop across a track to board Saptagiri Express. He did not spot a suburban train that was coming towards him. He was in a hurry as he did not want to miss the train. We shouted and alerted him in time.”
He also said that commuter associations have started to post awareness messages on social media groups to prevent runovers.