The Supreme Court on Friday sought a report from Railways on the status of unmanned crossings indicating the remedial steps to prevent accidents at the most vulnerable points.

According to an estimate, about 13,500 Railway crossings are unmanned, of which the Railways claims to have closed 5,687. The court while hearing a PIl filed by one Ajay Gautam was positive about some steps being taken by Railways in this regard as even the present Budget pledged to man 3,500 Railway crossings. Yet, it was of the view that as matter of policy, Railways must ensure that any new railway line being constructed or to be constructed contains no unmanned crossing.

The Bench of Justices Madan B lokur and UU lalit said, “It is easier to prevent it while constructing the line. As a policy statement, Railways must ensure that in future any railway line will not have any unmanned crossing.”

Senior advocate Kiran Suri who appeared for Railways indicated that since 2012, no new line this policy is in place. However, she sought two weeks to come out with a detailed response. She informed the court that the Ministry of Railways was in the process of identifying those crossings where maximum accidents took place.

Calling for the findings of the report by April 10, the next date of hearing, the Bench asked Suri to even indicate remedial steps by either closing down the crossing or any alternate arrangement of constructing an overpass or underpass for vehicles plying on the route.

The PIl was filed following a tragic incident where several school children lost their lives after their school van crossed an unmanned railway gate. Senior advocate Dinesh Dwivedi who is amicus curiae in the case urged the Centre for suitable budgetary allocation to ensure no unmanned crossing becomes a death trap for innocent citizens.