Nearly 20,000 people killed on railway tracks in 2013

NEW DELHI: Nearly 20,000 people were killed on railway tracks across the country in 2013, Lok Sabha was informed on Thursday. While 19,997 persons died on tracks, 1,63,645 were prosecuted for trespassing last year, minister of state for railways Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said in a written reply. Railways realized Rs 3.64 crore as fines from people for trespassing on railway lines. Chowdhury said railways have decided to eliminate all unmanned level crossings gradually by closing some of the crossings and by constructing road overbridges (ROB) and road underbridges (RUB). He said passengers awareness programmes are being organized about the fatalities of crossing railway tracks. He also said regular announcements are made through public address systems at important railway stations urging the passengers to use foot overbridges and to avoid crossing the railway tracks. PTI