Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has said railways must take remedial measures, like making public announcements, to ensure passengers do not cross the yellow strip marked on the edge of platforms. It also suggested regular painting of the strip and a switch to “red colour” to attract more attention. “Some education is required to make the people aware and the passengers also should comply with the same in their own interest. As a responsible passenger, there is a need to inculcate civic sense among ourselves, like civic sense among Japanese people,” said Justice Jitendra Jain on Thursday.He allowed the appeal challenging the Railway Claims Tribunal’s order rejecting compensation plea by parents of Balkrishan Bhandari, who died on Jan 29, 2012, while travelling from Kalyan to Dombivli. The station master’s report said he was standing on the edge of the platform and was struck by a local. The divisional railway manager, Railway Protection Force and executive magistrate’s reports, however, said he fell from a moving train while standing near the door.In the absence of an eyewitness and faced with contradictory reports, Justice Jain had “no option but to accept” that Bhandari died after falling from a moving train which constitutes an “untoward incident” under the Railways Act. He said that in Mumbai, seats are seldom vacant and “even at the starting point, people have to jump to occupy a seat.” Therefore, standing near the door “cannot be treated as negligence while considering travelling in Mumbai locals, more so, on Central Railway line.” Assuming that Bhandari was standing on the edge of the platform, “even in that case, the appeal has to be allowed by holding that he died of an untoward incident,” he added. Referring to the yellow strip, Justice Jain said nowhere is its purpose stated or an announcement or indication made cautioning passengers. Measures like announcement or police patrol should ensure passengers do not cross the line. The authorities should get yellow strips painted regularly, “like zebra crossings.” They should consider red colour, “which would indicate that a passenger crossing the laxman rekha is entering the danger zone.” The judge said when a fast train is crossing, an announcement is made for passengers on a platform to be away from its edge. The same is not done when a train is approaching a station which has a halt. “Therefore, appropriate remedial measures are to be taken to avoid any such incidents,” he added. CR’s advocate T J Pandian said that following a PIL, the railways have taken appropriate steps and he will ensure suggestions made for yellow strip will be considered.
