The incidents of stoppage of the running train by pulling chains without emergencies are increasing in the trains under West Zone Railway.
According to West Zone Railway authorities, the incidents of pulling of chains to stop the running trains have increased during the recent days. Specially, such incidents are rampant at the rail-routes passing near the frontiers with India. Smugglers who carry various Indian goods and drugs like Sarees, Spices, Phensedyl etc. often stop the running trains by pulling chains at the points where they would like to deport those goods. Specially, such incidents occurred frequently in Rajshahi-Chapainawabganj, Santahar-Hili and Parbatipur-Syedpur routes. The schedules of the trains are delayed due to such pulling of chains. Even a section of enthusiastic juveniles pulled the chains of trains out of curiosity and fancy and paid the nominal amount of compensation to the train authorities guards smiling. Often those youngsters pull the chains to watch whether the trains really stop due to pulling of chains.
According to the sources of West Zone railway, at least 23 incidents of stoppage of trains due to pulling chains occurred under Paksey and Lalmonirhat rail divisions during the month of October last year. The schedules of the trains were disrupted for one hour and 58 minutes due to pulling of those chains while on November 10 such incidents occurred causing 45-hour time disruption and in December the incidents of pulling chains were 22 under Paksey and Lalmonirhat routes which lapsed two-hour 27 minutes of time from the schedules. For such increased incidents of pulling train chains, the authorities of West Zone railway have recently submitted a proposal to the concerned Ministry to increase the amount of penalty for the wanton pulling of chains. It is learnt, there are chains with handles to pull in all compartments to stop running trains during emergencies. According to a Railway Act of 1980, any person will be fined Tk 200 as punishment for pulling the chain of train unnecessarily. The amount of compensation as a punishment for pulling chains is meagre, not only the smugglers but also the inquisitive young train passengers pull the chains to stop trains as will.
To stop such malpractice, the authorities of West Zone railway have sent a proposal to the concerned ministry to change the Act of punishment of 1980 for pulling chains willingly and to increase the amount of compensation to Tk 5,000 as against Tk 200 now. The proposal is under consideration and the rail authorities think the proposal will be accepted after revising the Act.
Asim Kumar Talukder, General Manager of West Zone railway, Rajshahi, informed there are some rules and regulations of pulling the chains but the person responsible for stopping the train without any cause pays Tk 200 compensation smiling. But, the actual loss as a result of pulling the chain and stoppage of the running train is far greater than the meagre amount penalty realised from the responsible passenger. As a result, the amount of compensation should be increased, he added.
