​Death by negligence: on the railway gate accident in Cuddalore  

Tragedy struck without warning recently when a van carrying children on their daily school commute collided with a train on the tracks. Three schoolchildren were killed on Tuesday when the Villupuram-Mayiladuthurai Passenger train, hurtling at 95 kmph, rammed into their school van at a manned railway gate at Semmankuppam in Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore district, dragging it for 50 metres. Despite conflicting claims about how the gate at the non-interlocked level crossing remained open as the train approached, preliminary evidence points to human error. Southern Railway has suspended the gatekeeper — now arrested for criminal negligence — alleging that he yielded to pressure from the van driver and opened the gate in violation of established protocols. However, accounts from a surviving student and eyewitnesses contradict this version. The survivor has stated that the gate was already wide open and the sound of the oncoming train was not heard. There are also claims that the gatekeeper had fallen asleep. Yet, some reports suggest that just minutes before the collision, he had exchanged the secret private number with the station master, indicating the train’s approach to Alappakkam — a detail that may not go unverified in the inquiry. Even if this is true, this would only show partial adherence to protocol. He failed in the essential duty of keeping the gate closed until the train had passed — as clearly laid out in the Indian Railways Permanent Way Manual.

At the heart of this accident is the continued use of non-interlocked manned level crossings. Unlike interlocked gates — where train signals turn green only when gates are securely locked — non-interlocked systems rely solely on the alertness and judgment of the gatekeeper. As of October last year, 11,053 manned level crossing gates in India are interlocked. In the Southern Railway zone, over 300 gates remain non-interlocked. Railway unions have long flagged the pressure gatekeepers face from impatient motorists. The only foolproof solution to prevent such fatal incidents is the construction of road overbridges or underpasses. However, these projects are often delayed due to administrative hurdles and land acquisition issues. In this case, Southern Railway has accused the Cuddalore Collector of not having cleared a railway-funded underpass for over a year — a serious charge that demands scrutiny. Until permanent solutions are in place, the Indian Railways must urgently prioritise the conversion of non-interlocked crossings to interlocked ones. Human lives depend on it.