No More Deaths: Build Dankuni Underpass Now!
The Issue
On the dark night of August 12, 2026, the Eastern Railway authorities abruptly and arbitrarily sealed off the only surface pedestrian crossing at Dankuni LC Gate No. 8 with iron barricades. They did this without any prior notice or viable alternative. This draconian move has effectively divided our city into two halves and pushed Dankuni’s 60-year-old traditional market to the brink of collapse!
The Inhumanity & The Big Lie:- The Railway authorities are forcing ordinary citizens to use the steep, inaccessible stairs of the Station Foot Over Bridge (FOB). How can senior citizens, pregnant women, young children, and patients climb those dangerous stairs every day with heavy bags? Forcing vulnerable people to endure this is a gross violation of human rights!
For years, the Railways dismissed our legitimate demand for a Pedestrian Underpass (RUB), claiming that Dankuni has a "high water table." However, a recent official RTI reply (dated 26.02.2026) has exposed this blatant lie! The Railways admitted in writing that they have NEVER conducted a Soil Test or Geotechnical Investigation at Dankuni! Our lives and demands are being dismissed based on fabricated, armchair reports.
How Many More Lives Must Be Lost? According to official RPF records dated 11.02.2026, between 2016 and 2023, 12 innocent people lost their lives and 2 were grievously injured while crossing the tracks at this exact spot. Instead of providing a scientific and humane solution like an Underpass to save lives, the Railways simply blocked the walking path! Even a sanctioned heavy-duty lift meant for the elderly and specially-abled at the FOB remains unbuilt on paper.
Our Legal Actions: We have already served a strict 72-Hour Legal Ultimatum to the DRM, Howrah. Urgent letters seeking immediate intervention have been sent to the Hon'ble Chief Minister Shri Suvendu Adhikari, the District Magistrate, and the Police Commissioner. A formal grievance has also been lodged on the CMO portal.
Our Immediate Demands:-
- Remove the Barricades:- Immediately remove the iron barricades to restore pedestrian movement and ease public suffering.
- Permanent Underpass:- Construct a permanent pedestrian underpass/subway using modern Box-Pushing technology without further delay.
- Interim Safety Measures:- Until the underpass is built, deploy State Police, Municipal Traffic Guards, and RPF personnel on rotation duty with adequate lighting to ensure safe crossing for pedestrians.
- Fast-track the Lift:- Immediately commence the installation of the already sanctioned heavy-duty lift at the station.
Your Single Signature Can Change Dankuni's Future! We are preparing to file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Calcutta High Court.Your digital signature will prove to the Hon'ble Court and the administration that this is a mass democratic movement for the survival of Dankuni's citizens.
Do not let Dankuni be choked to death. Sign this petition today, raise your voice, and share it with everyone you know!
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DcZdWSTCG/
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.
818
The Issue
On the dark night of August 12, 2026, the Eastern Railway authorities abruptly and arbitrarily sealed off the only surface pedestrian crossing at Dankuni LC Gate No. 8 with iron barricades. They did this without any prior notice or viable alternative. This draconian move has effectively divided our city into two halves and pushed Dankuni’s 60-year-old traditional market to the brink of collapse!
The Inhumanity & The Big Lie:- The Railway authorities are forcing ordinary citizens to use the steep, inaccessible stairs of the Station Foot Over Bridge (FOB). How can senior citizens, pregnant women, young children, and patients climb those dangerous stairs every day with heavy bags? Forcing vulnerable people to endure this is a gross violation of human rights!
For years, the Railways dismissed our legitimate demand for a Pedestrian Underpass (RUB), claiming that Dankuni has a "high water table." However, a recent official RTI reply (dated 26.02.2026) has exposed this blatant lie! The Railways admitted in writing that they have NEVER conducted a Soil Test or Geotechnical Investigation at Dankuni! Our lives and demands are being dismissed based on fabricated, armchair reports.
How Many More Lives Must Be Lost? According to official RPF records dated 11.02.2026, between 2016 and 2023, 12 innocent people lost their lives and 2 were grievously injured while crossing the tracks at this exact spot. Instead of providing a scientific and humane solution like an Underpass to save lives, the Railways simply blocked the walking path! Even a sanctioned heavy-duty lift meant for the elderly and specially-abled at the FOB remains unbuilt on paper.
Our Legal Actions: We have already served a strict 72-Hour Legal Ultimatum to the DRM, Howrah. Urgent letters seeking immediate intervention have been sent to the Hon'ble Chief Minister Shri Suvendu Adhikari, the District Magistrate, and the Police Commissioner. A formal grievance has also been lodged on the CMO portal.
Our Immediate Demands:-
- Remove the Barricades:- Immediately remove the iron barricades to restore pedestrian movement and ease public suffering.
- Permanent Underpass:- Construct a permanent pedestrian underpass/subway using modern Box-Pushing technology without further delay.
- Interim Safety Measures:- Until the underpass is built, deploy State Police, Municipal Traffic Guards, and RPF personnel on rotation duty with adequate lighting to ensure safe crossing for pedestrians.
- Fast-track the Lift:- Immediately commence the installation of the already sanctioned heavy-duty lift at the station.
Your Single Signature Can Change Dankuni's Future! We are preparing to file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Calcutta High Court.Your digital signature will prove to the Hon'ble Court and the administration that this is a mass democratic movement for the survival of Dankuni's citizens.
Do not let Dankuni be choked to death. Sign this petition today, raise your voice, and share it with everyone you know!
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DcZdWSTCG/
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.
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on 27 June 2025