Repair and renovation works on Bengaluru City Railway Station platforms amid moving trains pose safety risk

The South Western Railway (SWR) booked a case under the Railways Act, seizing a tractor and arresting its driver for driving the vehicle on Platform 7 of KSR Bengaluru City Railway Station on July 8, Saturday morning, jeopardising the safety of passengers. However, repair works and tractors’ movement continued on Platform (PF) 6 till evening.

The South Western Railway (SWR) booked a case under the Railways Act, seizing a tractor and arresting its driver for driving the vehicle on Platform 7 of KSR Bengaluru City Railway Station on July 8, Saturday morning, jeopardising the safety of passengers. However, repair works and tractors’ movement continued on Platform (PF) 6 till evening.

Responding to a tweet by Viju (@bviju), and a query by The Hindu about passengers alighting Train No. 12207 MGR Chennai Central-Mysuru Shatabdi Express being forced to squeeze between the train and the tractor, SWR headquarters said action was initiated in the incident. Mr. Viju tweeted to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reminding him the promise of zero tolerance to negligence. He asked whether renovation works were permitted risking passengers’ lives.

Yet, the renovation work (drilling and replacing of platform floor tiles) was going on and tractors were moving till Saturday evening on Platform 6 when The Hindu visited the station. Suresh, who runs a canteen on PF 6 said the business was affected following the renovation work as people hardly cross the trench to buy things.

Thirthesh, who travels daily from Bengaluru to Channapatna, said repair works amid movement of trains affects passengers boarding and alighting trains.

Mr. Viju also told the Minister that Government Railway Police and Railway Protection Force personnel ride and drive two-wheelers and four-wheelers at high speed on PF 6 often. Railway rules clearly prohibit use of road vehicles on platforms thereby endangering passengers’ lives, said a Railway official.

Repairs and renovations

Sources told The Hindu that despite prohibition on renovation/ repair works at Railway Stations when trains and passengers were present, the Bengaluru Railway Division was undertaking different kinds of works on Platforms 6 to 10 for the last six months.