Warning signage can make crossover safe

Sharanya C, 7, waits by the roadside, holding her mother Brunda Chikkanna's hand, in Mathikere, northwest Bangalore. "You have to first look on either side to see if vehicles are coming, and walk across only when there are no vehicles coming," Brunda tells her.
As basic as this sounds, it's this norm which is most violated, especially by motorists who attempt to rush across at railway crossings.Deaths at unmanned level crossings (ULCs) are a familiar happening in India -- a good 63%-65% deaths recorded by Indian Railways occur here. Almost always, nobody on the train is injured.
On July 27, the cleaner of an earthmover was killed and the driver sustained serious injuries after the Jabalpur-Yeshwantpur Express rammed the vehicle at an ULC near Doddaballapur. Had the operator followed the simple rule Sharanya was being taught, he wouldn't have put his cleaner's life in threat.
The Bangalore division of South Western Railways (SWR), which covers most of Karnataka, has 69 ULCs, where fatal accidents could occur at any time, as on July 27. But luckily for Bangalore, there have been only two in as many years, grossly lower than the average in most other railway divisions. Fourteen of these ULCs are in Bangalore city.
Signage, awareness programmes and other measures have been unable to prevent motorists from taking that overconfident ride across the tracks, causing injuries and deaths.
Investigations into hundreds of such deaths have revealed that motorists were at places they should've avoided. Trains, unlike motor vehicles, need at least 600-800 metres before they come to a halt after applying brakes.
Divisional railway manager (DRM) Anil Kumar Agarwal told TOI: "From creating awareness to putting up signage and mandating that trains use horns, we've put in all measures. We know the ultimate solution is to do away with ULCs and are working towards achieving that. But motorists continue to be callous, though they know trains pass through such places."
The division is striving to do away with such crossings. In 2008-09, there were 150 ULCs in Bangalore division, where the tracks span 1,000-odd km, including 40-50km in and around the city. The construction of railway under bridges has brought down the number of ULCs today to just 69. By the end of next year, another 22 will go and by 2016, there will be no ULCs in the division.
But until then, lives are in danger. Prakash Mandoth, member, SWR's Zonal Railway Users Consultative Committee (ZRUCC) said: "The onus must be on motorists. We must consider putting in place blinkers and hooters that alert motorists about an incoming train."
Ram Prasad, co-founder of FinalMile Consultants, which has done comprehensive studies on the matter, said: "Manning crossings or building bridges are long-term solutions, we need interim solutions. So we suggest signage should be more glaring and closer to the crossing, as against the present system of 200m away. Also, the train driver must blow the horn as the train comes closer, and not 600m away as it is now, to avoid habituation among motorists."
By the time Sharanya gets to drive, there may well be no ULCs in Bangalore division. But until then, we need practical solutions for both motorists and the railway authorities.
Track network
Under Bangalore division
* Distance covered: Over 1,000 km
* ULCs: 69
* ULCs to be removed in 2014: 22
* Deaths in past 2 yrs: 2
Expert column
Sumitra Iyengar
In a country like India, which is a leader in technology, it's a wonder we haven't found solutions using technology to eliminate the issue of unmanned level crossings (ULCs).
A ULC doesn't have any kind of signalling or alarm system for people who cross over, and though there are warning signs and boards, there's a need for an automatic warning system, a pilfer-proof one at that, which can sustain at such locations.
While studying this issue, I found this very interesting article of an automated warning system at the gates, equipped with technology to beam a red light, and also hoot, when a train is approaching the crossing. I wonder why this hasn't been taken up on a war footing by the Railways.
Two researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, have developed a new warning system to prevent accidents at unmanned level crossings in India. The Unmanned Level Crossing Gate Warning System (ULCGWS) has been tested out on a pilot basis on the Kanpur-Lucknow track. It will be implemented once the Railways finish deployment of the Simran project.
Of course, the permanent solution lies in eliminating ULCs, which can be done in the following ways:
1 Outright closure
2 Providing diversions, alternative roads
3 Providing a subway
4 Providing Road Under Bridge, Road Over Bridge
6 Manning unmanned level crossings (as a last resort)
(The author is vice-chairperson of the Civic Amenities and Urban Infrastructure Expert Committee, Federation of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry)?
The alternative: Diagonal speed-breaker
Experts believe motorists and pedestrians crossing ULCs are overconfident, think they can move faster than the train and fail to gauge the speed at which the train is nearing them.
One school of thought has come up with diagonal speed-breakers to delay motorists from approaching the tracks. Diagonal speed-breakers are usually placed at two spots: 20m away from the tracks, and another one 10m away. Unlike a conventional one, a perpendicular speed-breaker means the front and back tyres go over the diagonal speed-breaker at different instances, contributing to some discomfort for the motorist. It also adds to the time vehicles take to cross. (see box)
It was a thought that struck Biju Dominic, one of the co-founders of FinalMile Consultants, a firm based in Mumbai. The Railways has borrowed this and implemented it in many places, including Bangalore, says Ram Prasad, a co-founder of the firm.
A global problem
The safety of motorists at and around level crossings is not a problem unique to Bangalore or India. On June 3, 2014, the Portuguese railway manager and key partners celebrated the 6th International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD), focusing on educational measures and the promotion of safe behaviour at and around level crossings. This edition brought together over 43 countries, including India, France, US and UK. 'Act safely at level crossings' is a slogan the programme is focusing on.