The tragic death of a toddler, who fell 50-feet after her grandfather slipped on an escalator at Srirampura Metro Station has sounded a wake-up call for BMRCL. Accidents at stations have been rare but with the crowds growing everyday, it's time for stringent action. Platform Sliding Doors, installed in sync with train doors, which can ensure that queues are maintained as passengers board and get off trains, are the need of the hour. BMRCL has responded promptly, installing a blue safety at all elevated stations, reports Nischith N.
The blue net that stretches overhead as one travels the length of M.G. Road shows that BMRCL has sprung to action after the tragic death of a toddler last week. The recent accident involving an 18-month-old toddler, who died after falling 50 feet from the escalator at a Metro station in the city, has sounded a wakeup call for BMRCL, which has installed safety nets at elevated metro stations. Children appear to be at the greatest risk at shopping malls, train stations, airports and any facility that uses escalators. BMRCL, which has had a fairly good track record with hardly any accidents since it came into operation, says it has been working on keeping its passengers safe over the years.
For instance, it has come up with the idea of filling the gap between the train and the platform using a wooden material to stop people from falling into it accidentally while alighting or boarding it. A trial run has already been held at the Mysore Road Metro station, according to its officers.
While announcements are frequently made asking passengers to “mind the gap between the train and the platform before boarding and de-boarding,” many step out of the trains while talking on the phone or not looking where they are going, they say. “Also, they get too close to an arriving train, which could lead to accidents,” they observe.
But despite such claims, police sources point out that there were no safety measures around the escalator at the Srirampuram Metro station to prevent the recent accident. “There was nothing to stop the fall of the baby for around 50 feet,” they note.
When contacted, however, chief public relations officer of BMRCL, B.L.Yashavanth Chavan, asserted that the BMRCL had taken all safety measures from the start and no such incident had been reported at its stations all these years. “We are not ready to comment on the recent incident as a complaint has been registered and the police is investigating,” he added.
Although shocked by the death of the child at the Metro station, Bengalureans are mixed in their views on who should be blamed for the incident. While Ms Sridevi, an activist, says the BMRCL should use nets to cover all floors and deploy more security guards near the tracks for people’s safety, she also feels all parents must be cautious when going on the Metro with their children. “This incident reminds one of the one in which a child slipped from the top floor of a mall in Bengaluru some years ago. The mall began to use a safety net for all the floors following this. The BMRCL should adopt a smilar method to avoid such accidents,” she suggests.
A regular Metro commuter, Jeshta H M, too believes it is unfair to blame only the BMRCL for the child’s death at the Metro station. “The escalators are very busy at stations like Rajajinagar, Jayanagar, Vijayanagar and the Majestic inter-change. Many commuters, who are in a hurry to catch the next train, rush to the escalators. So let’s not blame only the BMRCL. Our commuters too should be careful,” he underlines.
