Over 1,200 annual deaths on Secunderabad railway tracks spark safety concerns

Secunderabad railway tracks witness over 1,200 deaths annually due to accidents, negligence, and suicides. Authorities cite distractions, risky stunts, and inadequate safety measures as causes. SCR plans fencing, foot overbridges, and replacement of level crossings with ROBs and RUBs to improve safety.

Hyderabad: Frequent fatalities being reported on the railway tracks under the Secunderabad Government Railway Police jurisdiction have sparked new concern, with official data indicating nearly 1,200 to 1,300 people dying every year due to accidents, suicides and other causes.

Data indicates that a large proportion of these deaths result from negligence, particularly passengers crossing tracks in a hurry or remaining distracted while near railway lines. Several others are believed to be cases of suicide, while about 1 per cent to 2 per cent are categorised as suspicious deaths pending investigation.

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Rail users and citizens living in the neighbourhood of railway tracks point out that gaps in safety infrastructure are contributing to the high toll; they recommend installing continuous fencing for up to 1 km around major railway stations to restrict unauthorised access to tracks and reduce casualties.

It was also observed that many mishaps occur when trains are reportedly halted short of platforms because another train is already stationed there. In such situations, some passengers hurriedly get down and attempt to cross the railway tracks to exit quickly. Others, engrossed in mobile phones, fail to notice approaching trains in time.

Sharp curves along certain stretches further increase the risk, as pedestrians are unable to spot an oncoming train until it is too close. Panic in the final seconds often leaves them shocked and trapped on the tracks with no escape for life.

Meanwhile, South Central Railway (SCR) officials have also flagged incidents involving youngsters performing risky stunts or filming social media reels on railway tracks, leading to fatal accidents.

Accident-prone stretches:

Areas such as Ameerpet near the Nature Cure Hospital, Kukatpally, Miyapur, Chandanagar and Hafeezpet usually witness frequent track crossings due to nearby pedestrian pathways.

Within the Secunderabad area, accident hotspots include Ghatkesar near the Madhava Reddy Bridge, NFC Gate, Lalapet, Moula Ali, Sitaphalmandi and Medchal.

Railway authorities maintain that most of these tragedies can be prevented through basic safety measures. “Using foot overbridges and subways, avoiding shortcuts across tracks, and staying alert can significantly reduce risks,” said a SCR official.

Officials warn that a moment of haste, distraction or thrill-seeking behaviour can cost a life. On the other hand, SCR General Manager Sanjay Kumar Srivastava recently laid focus on safety, pointing out enhanced safety at level crossings.

Discussing with senior officials on strengthening safety, he instructed the officials to initiate meticulous planning in coordination with departments concerned for replacing the non-interlocking level crossings with ROBs and RUBs to strengthen safety.

Category	2024	2025
Accidental Death	735	629
Suicidal Death	630	529
Natural Death	206	159
Total	1571	1317