GUWAHATI, June 7 - The International Level Crossing Awareness Day was observed by the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) at its headquarters in Maligaon here as well as at the divisional level in Tinsukia, Lumding, Rangiya, Alipurduar and Katihar, on Thursday.
A mock drill was conducted on the occasion at the Maligaon manned level crossing gate by the NFR Cultural Association under the leadership of Pradip Kumar Hira, Deputy Chief Safety Officer (Mechanical), to create awareness among road users about the rules and regulations to be followed at manned rail level crossings.
The potential danger of using earphones while passing through level crossings was also displayed in the mock drill.
NFR Public Relations Officer (PRO) Nripen Bhattacharya said that rules under the Motor Vehicles Act 1989 should be followed by the road users.
�If any person other than a railway servant or any authorised person, opens any gate or chain or barrier set up on either side of a level crossing which is closed to road traffic, he or she shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend up to three years. If any person breaks the gate or chain or barrier, he or she shall be punishable with imprisonment of a term which may extend up to five years,� warned Bhattacharya.
He said that as per rule, if any person wilfully obstructs or prevents any railway servant in the discharge of duty, the guilty person can be punished with a jail term which may extend up to six months or with fine which may extend up to Rs 1,000 or both.
On the occasion, all NFR divisions deployed Railway Scouts and Guides, Railway cultural teams, Railway Civil Defence and Railway Sports Organisations to conduct safety awareness drives at level crossings.
