Ludhiana: The railway crossing in Shastri Nagar has been closed for the past one week due to laying of new rail tracks. Students and parents going to two private schools in the area are crossing the tracks near the crossing risking their lives. A person who went to see the situation in Shastri Nagar said that most of the students and parents are crossing the tracks fearlessly in the morning and afternoon. No official of the Railway Department or GRP is keeping an eye on this. In the morning, parents park their vehicles on the side of the railway track towards Model Village. After crossing the track, they walk towards the schools in Shastri Nagar. After dropping the children, they again cross the track to reach their vehicles.
The same situation prevails in the afternoon, when parents come to pick up their children from school. Although in most cases parents cross the track with their children and take precautions, some students cross the track alone. On Wednesday afternoon, some students going to school on bicycles were caught crossing the track alone. When asked about choosing this risky route, a woman said, “Due to the closure of the main railway crossing, parents dropping and picking up their children have to cross the track. This not only saves time but also fuel, otherwise they have to take a longer route to reach school. Crossing the track is illegal and we may risk our lives, but we remain cautious while crossing the track to avoid any untoward incident.” Another parent who came to pick up his son from school said that students who are crossing the track under the supervision of their parents may not be in any danger, but children who are crossing the track alone or on their bicycles are definitely risking their lives. Even construction machinery and material lying near the track as well as vehicles engaged in construction work pose a danger to commuters. It is worth mentioning that Shastri Nagar Railway Crossing has been closed from July 19 to July 26. No checking by concerned officials On visiting Shastri Nagar, it was found that most of the parents and students were crossing the tracks fearlessly during the morning and afternoon hours. No official of the railway department or GRP is keeping an eye on this.
