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new website keeps tab on track deaths by nikhilndls on 15 July, 2012 - 04:00 PM
avatar nikhilndls new website keeps tab on track deaths on 15 July, 2012 - 04:00 PM

New website keeps tabs on track deaths
Nitasha Natu TNN

Mumbai: In a bid to trace the identities of scores of accident victimsfoundon thesuburban network, the GRP has launched a website where people can search for their missing kin. Users can search for missing persons by giving their physical description.
    An average of ten persons are found dead on the tracks everyday, of which at least three to four remain unidentified. The burden of disposing off each unclaimed body rests with the GRP, which led officials to come up with a project aimed at resolving the issue.
    Officials said the website, which iscurrently restrictssearchesto railway mishaps in Mumbai, can gradually be extended to cover the state or even the country. The site (http:// shodh.gov.in) is functional with some information still being uploaded at the GRP headquarters in Wadi Bunder.Authorized police personnel at the control room, upload photographs, details of accident spots, age and appearance of victims on the website. When a viewer confirms thatthedescription given on thewebsite matches with that of a missing kin, he can click on the claims section and provide his contact details.
    “We hope to purchase GPS devices through which our personnel can upload information of an accident victim on thespot and notwait to send it over to the headquarters,” said GRP commissioner Prabhat Kumar. “The website provides empirical data and is user-friendly. Our records show that the Kurla section recorded the highest number of accidents (489), followed by the Kalyan (433) and Borivli sections (404) this year,” he added.
    The website has come to the rescue of a few families. “On July 1, a 45-year-old woman met with a mishap between Santa Cruz and Khar stations at night,” said senior inspector VDhopavkar of Bandra GRP. “We admitted her to Cooper Hospital where she remains unconscious. Her husband and sons stay in different cities and hence no missing person’s complaint was lodged. Her brother enquired about her our personnel introduced him to the website and helped trace her,” he added.