CR Implants Grease Ponds To Curb Jaywalking On Railway Tracks

In an attempt to curb trespassing and jaywalking on railway tracks, Central Railway (CR) has introduced a unique solution: grease ponds and vertical ramps. This initiative is the first of its kind and has already been implemented at Belapur railway station. It will then be replicated across all stations on the Harbour and Trans-Harbour lines like Chembur, Thane and Kalyan.

To discourage commuters from climbing over the iron barricades and crossing the tracks, the authorities planned to apply grease to the barriers. A grease-filled pit will also be placed at the end of the platform. Additionally, the CR will make the ramps at the ends of station platforms vertical in order to deter people from trespassing from the end.

Passengers are requested to avoid tresspassing of tracks to ensure safety and use only authorised staircase, lifts, escalators.

Even though fencing is being provided at platform ends to avoid tresspassing, still some space is left in order to adhere to SOD (Schedule of… pic.twitter.com/VyeaL9MtZr

— Central Railway (@Central_Railway) November 1, 2023

Earlier, an iron fence had been erected to block both ends of the platform. To make sure that there is no hindrance for the train arriving at the station, a space of about two feet was left open between the barricade and along the edge of the platform.

But commuters were able to easily trespass via this gap. To deal with this, the CR decided to implement the plan of applying grease. This plan was reportedly proposed by an engineer. Under this plan, a pond was created by heavily greasing the barriers and the area next to them.

To ensure that no additional costs are raised for this plan, the grease will be obtained from the CR gangmen who carry it during track inspections.

However, the plan has received mixed reactions from the public. Some locals have raised safety concerns, arguing that the absence of signs indicating the presence of grease could lead to accidents. They suggest alternatives, such as building walls or imposing fines.

According to the Data from Central Railway, 69 accidents were reported in the Mumbai division between April and September 2023.