Eastern Railway (ER) on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, sealed a heavily used unauthorised track-crossing point near the premises of Kanchrapara railway station in the Sealdah Division, marking one of the most significant milestones in the railway zone's ongoing campaign to curb trespassing and prevent deaths on its network. The closure comes amid what officials describe as a historic shift — for the first time in several decades, the West Bengal state government is actively cooperating with the railways to remove encroachments and secure tracks.

A Long-Pending Closure, Finally Executed

The trespassing location near Kanchrapara station had remained a persistent safety hazard for years. Railway authorities had made multiple earlier attempts to shut the passage, but each effort was met with strong local resistance and protests. Officials acknowledged that in the past, encroachers reportedly received political backing, and law and order situations arose whenever the railways attempted to enforce closures.

The breakthrough on 29 September 2026 was made possible through coordinated action involving the Railway Protection Force (RPF), the Government Railway Police (GRP), and state authorities. A robust barricade has now been installed across the site to permanently restrict unauthorised entry.

The Scale of the Trespassing Crisis

The urgency behind the drive is underscored by grim statistics. In 2025, Eastern Railway recorded 2,394 run-over cases caused by trespassing across its network, resulting in 2,038 deaths and 359 injuries. That translates, on average, to more than five fatalities every single day.

The Sealdah Division bore the heaviest toll, recording 1,108 run-over incidents — of which 933 were fatal. The division covers some of the most densely populated suburban rail corridors in the country, making unauthorised crossings a chronic and deadly problem despite the presence of foot overbridges and underpasses.

Land Freed, Now Being Monetised

Beyond track safety, the renewed state cooperation has enabled Eastern Railway to reclaim significant stretches of land near stations that were previously occupied by squatters. This freed land is now being developed to create passenger amenities, including mini-marts, parking lots, and public conveniences — generating utility and revenue simultaneously.

Breaches in trackside barricades — routinely used as informal crossing points — are also being plugged systematically as part of the wider safety drive.

What Railway Officials Said

A senior ER official noted that faster train speeds make track barricading increasingly critical. 'Efforts are being made to increase the speeds of trains. Barricading tracks to prevent trespassing is particularly important on stretches along which long-distance trains pass. Thousands of people die on the tracks every year due to trespassing, despite foot overbridges and underpasses being present,' the official said.

ER Chief Public Relations Officer Shibram Majhi called the closure a meaningful step forward. 'The successful closure of this long-pending trespassing location marks a positive step toward a safer station area. By eliminating unsafe track crossings, this critical work will significantly improve passenger convenience, making train travel more reliable, safe, and convenient for daily commuters,' Majhi said. He urged the public to 'stop trespassing, save lives, and support railway safety.'

What Comes Next

The Kanchrapara closure is presented as a template for replication across other vulnerable points in the Eastern Railway network. With state-level support now in place, officials appear confident that further long-pending barricade work can proceed without the political friction that stalled previous efforts. The railway's focus will likely shift to the remaining high-risk locations within the Sealdah Division, which alone accounted for nearly half of all run-over cases on the ER network in 2025.