A railway gate at Somra Kolora in Hooghly district was reportedly left open as the 37754 Down Katwa–Bandel local train approached, forcing the locomotive pilot to sound repeated horns before the gatekeeper closed the crossing, according to a report by Anandabazar – West Bengal.
The incident took place on the Bandel–Katwa branch line. Local residents crossing the railway gate reportedly saw the train standing a short distance away from the crossing while the locomotive pilot continued sounding the horn. The gatekeeper then came out of the cabin and lowered the gate, after which the train proceeded.
Residents alleged that the gatekeeper had been asleep when the train approached. The report does not independently establish that claim. Following the incident, local people protested around the gatekeeper and submitted a complaint to the station master at Jirat railway station.
The crossing is used by both railway traffic and local road users, making the timing of gate closure central to safety at the location. In this case, the gate was reportedly open while people were attempting to pass through, and the approaching train had to stop before the gate was closed.
The reported incident comes after a fatal level-crossing collision in Murshidabad. On July 17, a school van entered a level crossing between Karnasubarna station and Gobindapur railway gate and was hit by a train. Five people, including four students, died in that incident, and the gatekeeper was arrested.
The two incidents are separate, and the report does not state that the Somra crossing incident caused any injury or collision. However, both reports involve the operation of level crossings, where the timing and reliability of gate closure directly affect the safety of road users and trains.
Eastern Railway public relations officer Shibaram Majhi said the railway would look into what happened. No further details about an internal inquiry, disciplinary action, service disruption or changes to operations at Somra Kolora were provided in the report. The complaint to the Jirat station master is the next recorded administrative step in the matter.
