Title - Rs 1,000 fine if you don't stop at railway level crossings

Get ready to pay Rs 1,000 fine if you don’t stop at unmanned level crossings to see if trains are passing by as the Railways and Regional Transport Officers (RTOs) will be conducting ambush checks to minimise train hit accidents.

There are 99 unmanned level crossings in and around the city and traffic jams are  likely to be seen in most of these level crossings if the Railways strictly implement its plans. After obtaining permission from the Transport Commission, the railway officials have approached the RTOs requesting them to depute transport inspectors to conduct ambush checks in their jurisdictions.

Divisional Railway Safety Manager Anwar Hussein said, “According to the Indian Motor Vehicles Act and Railway Act, a motorist is supposed to slow down as he approaches a level crossing and stop if he sees a train passing by. If anyone violates these rules, they can be let off by imposing fine up to `1,000 or arrested without a warrant and imprisoned up to three years.”

The Railways is planning to provide booklets to educate motorists through RTOs while issuing driving licences. These booklets would also be distributed to more than 2,000 driving schools in the city to help them educate their students answer questions related to railway signals and rules while appearing for learning licence exams. Anwar said people recklessly cross the level crossings due to ignorance and it leads to accidents.

The railway officers are also planning to visit schools located on either side of the railway lines to educate the students and their parents through them about the dangers and legal consequences of straying into the railway lines.