Bihar Train Tragedy - 8 dead

[pmaitra]

At least 8 people were killed and 12 others were severely injured in a train accident in India's eastern state of Bihar.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – At least 8 people were killed and 12 others were severely injured when a train hit a car in India's eastern state of Bihar, NDTV (New Delhi Television Limited) broadcaster reports.

"Eight people were killed on the spot and 12 seriously injured. The injured were admitted to a government hospital," a police official said as quoted by NDTV on Saturday.

According to the broadcaster, there were 20 people in the car that was hit by the passenger train at an unmanned crossing near the Tungi village, located about 100 kilometers (62 miles) from Bihar's capital Patna. The people in the car were returning home from a wedding.

Rail traffic was disrupted for several hours after the accident, NDTV said.

In January another accident at an unmanned railway crossing took the lives of 12 people in northern India, when a small van was hit by a train.

According to NDTV, which cites Indian railroad officials, there are over 1,100 unmanned railway crossings in five divisions of the East Central Railway alone.
India has one of the largest railway networks in the world with a total length of 65,000 kilometers (over 40,000 miles). The East Central Railway is one of the 17 railway zones in the country.

Read more: At Least 8 People Killed in East India Railroad Accident - Reports / Sputnik International

[HR][/HR]

India seriously needs to invest in building bridges over tracks, and get rid of all the unmanned level crossings. It is long overdue that the railway fares are raised, and the money used for increasing safety, such as building bridges over tracks, manning level crossing or getting rid of them, modernizing signalling equipment, etc..

We have way too many such tragedies and we seem not to care, as if we are benumbed by the frequency of such tragedies.

 

[Anikastha]

20 people in a car???????????????Our govt. should take unmanned railway crossing seriously.

 

[pmaitra]

20 people in a car???????????????Our govt. should take unmanned railway crossing seriously.

Later on in the article, it says it was a van. 20 people in a van is not unusual.

 

[Anikastha]

Later on in the article, it says it was a van. 20 people in a van is not unusual.

Oh ok , it was my mistake.

 

[TrueSpirit1]

At least 8 people were killed and 12 others were severely injured in a train accident in India's eastern state of Bihar.



Read more: At Least 8 People Killed in East India Railroad Accident - Reports / Sputnik International

[HR][/HR]

India seriously needs to invest in building bridges over tracks, and get rid of all the unmanned level crossings. It is long overdue that the railway fares are raised, and the money used for increasing safety, such as building bridges over tracks, manning level crossing or getting rid of them, modernizing signalling equipment, etc..

We have way too many such tragedies and we seem not to care, as if we are benumbed by the frequency of such tragedies.

Actually fares have already been increased by the govt. without any fanfare or publicity; in some cases, prices have nearly increased 5x (especially if you are traveling during festive/holiday season) without any corresponding improvement in safety, hygiene, convenience or schedule.

The railway reservation system is totally infested without touts & 95% tickets are already sold to touts even before the booking window opens. Almost everyone is forced to buy tickets from touts. Sleeper is the only class where around 20% of berths are left for booking by public, 80% still usurped by touts (referred to, as agents).

This govt. have not brought any improvement in railway infra & it remains as inefficient & corrupt as ever.

 

[TrueSpirit1]

Modi's priority w.r.t. Railways are totally misplaced. If govt. continues on this path, it is doomed.