Ciputat crossing prone to mishaps

Ciputat crossing prone to mishaps

TANGERANG, West Java (JP): The Ciputat railway crossing where
a family was killed late Sunday is vulnerable to accidents, a
village head in the district said.

Dadang Syarif, the head of the Pondok Ranji subdistrict, said
yesterday a man in his 70s was killed last week at the same spot
as Sunday's accident which claimed five lives.

"It was last week. Earlier three buffaloes were also hit by
train at the crossing," he said. The trouble spot is in the
neighboring Sawah village.

"There have been several other accidents, but the latest one
was the worst," Dadang said.

Security guard Suriawan, his pregnant wife, their five-year
old child and two nephews, were killed when a train hit their
Kijang van around 10 p.m. Sunday.

The railway crossing in between the Sudimara and Pondok Ranji
train stations does not have a gate.

Yesterday, Sudimara station master Sudaryanto said drivers
should heed signs which remind them to stop before crossing a
railroad.

District head Wahidin Halim has often told the subdistrict
head to put adequate signs at the crossing, Dadang said. "Traffic
has become increasingly heavy at the site".

"We also wish to ask (the state-owned railway company) Perumka
to install lights which are more visible," he said.

Perumka officials could not be contacted. (anr)