The Urgent Demand for a Dankuni Underpass – No More Lives Lost!

 

The lives of thousands of residents in Dankuni, Hooghly, West Bengal, hang in the balance every single day, and a heartbreaking tragedy just yesterday, on June 27, 2025, has once again underscored this dire reality. An pedestrian, desperately trying to navigate their daily life, lost their precious life while attempting to cross the railway tracks at Dankuni 8 Number Level Crossing. This is not an isolated incident; our community has witnessed far too many such preventable deaths at this very spot.

Dankuni 8 Number Level Crossing, situated directly in front of the bustling Dankuni railway station, is not just a crossing; it is the sole crucial artery connecting the eastern and western sides of our densely populated town. It serves as an indispensable lifeline for:

Daily commuters traveling for work.
Students accessing schools and colleges.
Countless residents reaching essential services like banks, post offices, government offices, hospitals, and local markets.
For thousands, this crossing is quite literally the gateway to their daily lives and livelihoods.
The Indian Railways' decision to close this critical crossing, citing its policy for uninterrupted train movement, has created an unbearable crisis. While a Road Over Bridge (ROB) exists, it is entirely unsuitable and inaccessible for pedestrians. With its steep, crumbling stairs, it poses an insurmountable challenge for our elderly, children, and individuals with disabilities. This egregious lack of a safe and convenient alternative forces thousands of desperate citizens to risk their lives daily by illegally crossing the active railway tracks. This dangerous gamble, fueled by necessity, all too frequently culminates in tragedy, as brutally highlighted by the death just hours ago. Local residents lament that "lives are being lost every single day" at this very spot.

The Railway authorities claim that constructing an underpass at Dankuni is "technically impossible" due to a high water table and space constraints, arguing it would compromise the existing ROB's foundation. However, we firmly believe this assertion is flawed. Our community recalls previous surveys that indicated the feasibility of an underpass, and there is no consistent waterlogging at the proposed site. Furthermore, there are discrepancies in the Railway's stated closure date of the crossing (they claim 2011, while our records show 2013, when the ROB was actually built).

We, the residents of Dankuni, united in our cause, have been relentlessly advocating for this crucial underpass. We have launched public movements, gathered thousands of signatures, and formally appealed to every level of authority – from the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) to the Minister of State for Railways (MoSR), our local Member of Parliament (MP), the State Chief Secretary, the District Magistrate, and even the Railway Board's Public Grievance department. Yet, our cries for safety are met with generic responses, marking our urgent pleas as 'partially resolved' or mere 'suggestions'.

We urgently appeal to the Indian Railways, the Ministry of Railways and all relevant authorities to:

Immediately reconsider the decision to close Dankuni 8 Number Level Crossing without the prior construction of a safe, accessible, and well-lit pedestrian underpass.
Prioritize the swift construction of a modern underpass, equipped with ramps or escalators, ensuring accessibility for ALL citizens, including the elderly, children, and persons with disabilities.
Conduct an urgent, transparent, and comprehensive joint inspection involving independent civil engineering experts, local municipal authorities, and community representatives to genuinely assess the ground realities and technical feasibility of the underpass.
Every day without an underpass is a day of continued risk, severe inconvenience, and potential heartbreak. We cannot afford to lose another life. We implore you to listen to the urgent plea of Dankuni residents, prioritize human life and safety, and act now to secure our lives and ensure our fundamental right to safe passage.