Eastern Railway (ER) recorded 1,001 deaths and 147 injuries from track trespassing in just the first six months of 2026 — a toll that underscores one of India's most persistent rail-safety crises. According to figures compiled by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) from Station Superintendents, 1,144 trespassing incidents were logged between January and June 30, 2026, averaging roughly six fatalities every single day.

The Scale of the Crisis

The full-year picture for 2025 is equally grim: 2,394 trespassing cases resulted in 2,038 deaths and 359 injuries across the Eastern Railway zone. Taken together, the two-and-a-half-year trend points to a structural problem that awareness campaigns alone have struggled to contain.

A senior ER official noted that 'the vast majority of these tragic incidents are concentrated in the heavily congested Sealdah and Howrah divisions, though all regions continue to be affected.'

Division-by-Division Breakdown

In 2025, the Sealdah Division recorded the highest toll with 933 deaths and 175 injuries, followed by the Howrah Division with 620 deaths and 128 injuries. The Asansol Division registered 278 deaths and 40 injuries, while the Malda Division logged 207 deaths and 16 injuries.

The pattern has held through 2026. As of 30 June 2026, Sealdah leads again with 463 deaths and 66 injuries. Howrah follows with 304 deaths and 47 injuries, Asansol with 141 deaths and 23 injuries, and Malda with 93 deaths and 11 injuries, according to the official.

What Eastern Railway Is Doing

ER has launched what it describes as a 'relentless, zone-wide campaign' to address the crisis. Measures include public awareness drives at high-risk stations, stricter monitoring of vulnerable crossing points, and the deployment of additional security personnel at stations. Lifts and escalators have been installed at select wayside stations to encourage commuters to use foot overbridges and subways instead of crossing tracks directly.

The railway is also enforcing Section 147 of the Railways Act, which covers trespass and refusal to desist from trespass. Violators who enter unauthorised railway zones — including tracks and yards — face a fine of ₹5,000, imprisonment of up to three months, or both.

What Officials Said

ER Chief Public Relations Officer Shibram Majhi appealed directly to the public: 'Every life lost on the tracks is a profound tragedy that leaves a family shattered forever. Saving a few seconds by crossing the tracks is a gamble where the stakes are far too high. The railway is doing everything in its power, from raising awareness to strengthening enforcement, under the guidance of our general manager, to stop this. Ultimately, because safety begins with the individual, I earnestly appeal to everyone to value their lives, cooperate with the railways, and always use foot overbridges and subways to cross safely.'

What Comes Next

With the second half of 2026 under way, ER's enforcement and infrastructure push will be closely watched. The Sealdah and Howrah divisions — given their dense commuter traffic — remain the most critical pressure points. Whether the combination of legal deterrence, physical infrastructure, and community outreach can bend the fatality curve remains to be seen.