Two mowed down at Diwa rail crossing

Two youths on a bike were hit by Sewagram Express at Diwa railway crossing, as they tried to cross the tracks on Monday morning despite the gates having been closed for the express train’s passage as it approached Mumbai.

The duo were in a hurry and did not heed warnings, according to eyewitnesses.

The deceased have been identified as Ramsharan and Angrej. Their bodies have been sent to Thane Civil Hospital. “The two were crossing the railway tracks on their bike and failed to make it. Diwa residents have been demanding an overbridge for vehicles, so that people do not cross the railway track. There is a foot overbridge (FOB) here but people do not use it. There are always such accidents as people do not have the patience to let the train pass,” said an eyewitness at Diwa station.

“People prefer to cross the tracks, instead of using the FOB claiming that the steps are too narrow on the bridge and it is crowded during peak hours,” said a Diwa resident.

“We agitated for years to have an FOB and now the FOB has been provided but the steps are narrow; so, during peak hours, people usually cross the tracks. They are scared after the Elphinstone bridge incident,” said another eyewitness.

The level crossing at Diwa is opened 38 times in a day. Plans for a rail overbridge were announced in 2013, but it is yet to take shape.