Thiruvananthapuram: Railways is planning to convert the level crossing in front of All Saints College in Thiruvananthapuram into an interlocked crossing where the train will not get signal to pass unless the gates are closed. This is part of the measures to enhance safety because the crossing sees a lot of student and regular pedestrian movement because it is near a college.An official said that work is in progress to upgrade the level crossing by modernising the signaling on the Thiruvananthapuram Pettah-North railway station stretch.Southern Railway general manager U Subba Rao inspected the level crossing as part of his visit to Thiruvananthapuram division a few days ago. The division is converting all its 312 level crossings into interlocked ones before removing them for subways or bridges at a later stage.Of all the level crossings in the division, 300 have been upgraded, while work on eight more has been sanctioned for the current financial year, an official said.The division has started work to build 24 flyovers and eight subways at different points to replace level crossings. This will improve speed of trains and prevent road traffic congestion due to level crossing gate closure. Residents have demanded the closure of more level crossings and the construction of flyovers. A level crossing near Thiruvananthapuram North railway station is among those where traffic congestion often frustrates motorists.The division used mechanized maintenance and infrastructure strengthening to screen 86km of tracks and 34 turnouts that allow trains to switch tracks and renewed 1,627 channel sleepers and 58 turnouts.
