About ‘1,886 die trespassing on ER tracks in 11 months’

Kolkata: Eastern Railway recorded 1,886 deaths and 319 injuries caused by trespassing on tracks between April 2025 and February 2026, an 11-month period, prompting authorities to renew warnings against crossing railway lines instead of using designated facilities.

Officials said commuters often attempt to cross the tracks to save time rather than using foot overbridges or subways, leading to fatal accidents involving passing local and express trains.

“Despite massive infrastructure overhauls and constant vigilance, the lure of the ‘quick cross’ continues to turn railway tracks into corridors of tragedy,” an official said.

Eastern Railway said it has built foot overbridges, subways and underpasses at busy locations to provide safer crossing options. Fencing and boundary walls are also being reinforced in several areas to prevent unauthorised access to tracks.

Authorities have also intensified awareness campaigns at stations.

Railway officials said 5,557 people were prosecuted under Section 147 of the Railways Act, 1989, during 2025–26 up to February. Shibram Majhi, Chief Public Relations Officer of Eastern Railway, appealed to the public: “We build bridges so you can reach home, not to add minutes to your commute. No shortcut is worth the price of a life.

We urge every passenger to use the subways and FOBs. Remember, your family is waiting for you at the doorstep, not the platform,” Majhi said.