MUMBAI: Expressing concern over the rising number of deaths on railway tracks , the Bombay high court on Friday directed Central and Western Railways to take steps to stop people from crossing tracks. “Most casualties seem to be (because of people) crossing tracks,” said a division bench of Justices V M Kanade and Shalini Phansalkar Joshi, and told the railways to put up barricades and boundary walls at the end of platforms to make it difficult for people to access or cross the tracks.

WR counsel, advocate Suresh Kumar, said barricades were constructed at few suburban stations. The court told the railways to implement it at all stations. The court was hearing a petition filed by activist Samir Zaveri for medical facilities to ensure prompt medical treatment to victims of accidents at suburban railway stations.

Nine people die due to accidents on Mumbai’s suburban railway lines every day, including those who fall off overcrowded trains, or into gaps between platforms and trains, or are run over by trains while crossing tracks, or those hit by poles while commuting. Around 3,352 people lost their lives in such accidents last year.

The HC has told a committee appointed by it last year to continue visiting railway stations across the city to verify medical facilities available to victims. The petitioner’s lawyers complained that most doctors provided with ambulances at railway stations were ayurveda or unani medical practitioners. While the railways claimed this was permitted, the HC directed the authorities to strictly ensure the doctors were qualified and registered with the Maharashtra Medical Council. The court also told the state to consider collaborating with private hospitals between Virar and Dahanu to provide emergency medical aid to rail accident victims between these stations.

Following the HC’s directions, the railways had agreed to set up emergency medical rooms at Central, Western and Harbour line stations, including Churchgate, Mumbai Central, Bandra, Andheri, Goregaon, Malad, Kandivli, Borivli, Vasai Road, Virar, Palghar, CST, Kurla, Ghatkopar, Mulund, Thane, Dombivli/Kopar, Kalyan, Vadala Road, Vashi, Panvel and Karjat.

