LAHORE/OKARA: Five people travelling in a motorcycle-rickshaw died and one was injured after a Karachi-bound train hit the three-wheeler at an unmanned crossing at the Akhtar Abad railway station near Basirpur in Okara district on Wednesday.

The rickshaw was on its way from Saidpur village to Basirpur with five passengers and a driver. A Pakistan Railways official in Lahore said the motorcycle-rickshaw had gotten stuck on the Pakpattan-Kasur railway track, at the unmanned level crossing between Basirpur and Haveli Wassawaywall. The locomotive of Fareed Express (28-Down) hit the three-wheeler at around 11:15am.

Dastgir, the rickshaw dri­ver, and passengers Sana­ullah, Ahmad Raza and Mazahar Ali died on the spot. Muhammad Saleem was first taken to Haveli Lakha Civil Hospital and later referred to the Okara DHQ Hospital, but he died on the way. Ramazan, another passenger, was taken to the Dipalpur THQ Hospital in a critical condition.

The deceased were residents of Faizpur village in Haveli Lakha and were between 25 and 30 years old.

There are some 2,400 unmanned level railway crossings in the country, 1,150 of which are in Punjab. This incident is the second one of its kind since January, when six members of family died after a Lahore-bound train hit their car at an unmanned crossing, 14km from Gojra town, on Jan 22.

As many as 80 people have been killed in accidents at unmanned level crossings in the last three years.

Minister for Railways Khwaja Saad Rafique had earlier said at a news conference that a one-time investment of Rs25bn was required to man all level crossings, and at least Rs2.5bn would be needed each year to pay wages, and ensure the maintenance and repair of these crossings.

“...This is the responsibility of provincial or district governments. We are in contact with provincial governments in this regard. Around 75 unmanned level crossings have been manned with Rs610m funds given by the Punjab government... another Rs637m will be issued for the purpose soon,” said Mr Rafique at his Jan 23 news conference, adding that Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had also released Rs105m to man 17 unmanned level crossings in Sindh.

Published in Dawn February 9th, 2017