Lack of safety measures disrupts trains to Barak: Gauhati High Court

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: Railway authorities informed the Gauhati High Court that measures have been taken to prevent disruption of services on the Guwahati-Silchar route. However, the petitioner highlighted the recent disruption of train services to Barak Valley to stress that the measures are not adequate.

The bench of Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi and Justice N. Unni Krishnan Nair was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL/42/2022) filed in the year 2022 and raising the grievance that the railway authorities have failed to take Commission of Railway Safety (CRS) safety measures for the passengers who travel by train from Guwahati to Silchar.

During the hearing, the counsel for the petitioner, the All Barak Youth Students' Association, pointed out that several incidents of landslides and derailments have been elaborated in the PIL. He went on to say that since the gauge conversion work on the section in 2015, several loopholes have remained, and the line is not considered fit for passenger traffic. He also submitted that, in 2016, the CRS had suggested some safety measures to be adopted but that not all of them were implemented. This led to frequent disruptions in train service due to landslides and other incidents.

On the other hand, a counter affidavit to the petition was filed on behalf of the railway authorities, wherein it was specifically stated that the incident of landslides happened in June 2022 due to incessant and more than average rainfall. The affidavit on behalf of the railways mentioned in detail the effective steps and measures taken by the railway authorities to prevent such incidents in the future. It is also demonstrated that after taking those steps, the incidence of landslides and disruptions in the railway operation has drastically reduced.

However, the counsel for the petitioner submitted that recently, around 15 days ago, the operation of trains from Guwahati to Silchar was disrupted on account of massive landslides, and till date, the situation has not been normalized. The counsel for the petitioner also prayed for some time to place some additional facts on record.

The bench allowed the prayer of the petitioner's counsel for more time and listed the matter for further hearing on June 13, 2024.

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