Sambalpur: Safety Concerns Rise: Students Risk Their Lives Crossing Unsecured Railway Tracks

Sambalpur: Sambalpur-Road (Fatak) station is no longer in use, as the station building and foot-stairs have been demolished. The station’s importance was reduced once Sambalpur Junction Station was established. Despite complaints, the railway authorities chose to close Sambalpur-Road station, resulting in its demolition. Unfortunately, there is no secure way to cross the railway line in the absence of a station.

Local residents and students are now risking their lives by dangerously crossing the railway line. Even with the presence of a flyover in front of Gangadhar Meher University, people often use the railway tracks as a pedestrian walkway. There are many bachelor’s chambers across the railway line. It is a popular road for students coming from there to the university.

Recent incidents have highlighted the unsafe situation. On a Friday afternoon, an elderly man on a bicycle was crossing the railroad lines when a train came on line two. Another train on Line One approached the station at the same time. A young man ran to pull the elderly man and his bicycle away, nearly avoiding an accident. Such incidents reportedly occur frequently in the area.

The risk increases when freight trains stop at the station for extended periods of time and people, notably students, try to cross by boarding or disembarking at the coach intersection. When the freight train suddenly starts moving, people rush to safety, risking accidents. Despite the obvious risks, people continue to take chances.

The community is increasingly demanding that the railway department address the issue by constructing a foot ladder or pedestrian crossing to ensure the safety of people crossing the railway line.