Trespassing on train tracks can end tragically

Representational Image

Train services on the Western Railway (WR) were severely disrupted on Thursday afternoon after an unidentified person was run over by a high-speed Vande Bharat Express in the Virar section.

According to railway officials, the incident occurred between Vaitarna and Virar when the individual allegedly trespassed onto the tracks and got entangled with the fast-moving train, leading to a fatal accident.

A spokesperson from WR confirmed that the mishap led to significant delays and disruptions in suburban services. The spokesperson stated in our report that a Railway accident involving an individual between Vaitarna and Virar, resulted in an afternoon Dahanu local train departing from Virar halting between Naringi and Ghaskopri in Virar. Another train had been detained at Virar.

While all this is inconveniencing people, the spotlight should be on trespassing on the tracks and that resulted in this huge tragedy. It has been said a million times but we say it again, do not cross tracks no wonder how ‘safe' it looks and there is no train to be seen for miles. Walk to the nearest FOB, the time or distance should not matter and then cross over. Repeated and more aggressive announcements at station platforms are needed.

Do not walk along tracks for any reason. There is some kind of thinking that walking along just for a short distance will be safe. Nothing and nowhere is safe on the tracks. Then, there is that decision to alight on the wrong side, it may not happen on local trains but it has happened on long distance trains as the platform is closer from that side or the fact that less time will be needed to alight from the other side.