On Tuesday, November 18, the Government Railway Police statistics revealed that 13 people died and 13 got injured while in the train, or trying to cross the tracks. The majority of fatalities were because people were trying to cross the tracks and got mowed down by an oncoming train. In other instances, people have fallen off the trains due to overcrowding or standing on the edge of the footboard. In just one day there were 26 accidents, which is an astonishingly high number. The majority of commuters who lost their lives were in their 20s and 30s.

Railway authorities make regular announcements about why one should not cross the tracks, and the awareness and advocacy is on the uptick. Yet, for a variety of reasons, we see people defying orders and common sense wisdom and crossing tracks at will. For some, the Foot Over Bridge (FOB) is too far, or too crowded. For others, it is simply a matter of convenience. Why climb when you can cross? It is also the heady and often misplaced confidence of youth, which makes them sure that they would be able to cross the tracks without injury.