Kolkata
In response to the increasing cases of suicides and suicide attempts at different stations of the Kolkata Metro Rail, authorities have decided to implement automatic platform screen doors at all stations. The introduction of these doors aims to enhance passenger safety and prevent access to the rail tracks. According to a senior metro railways official, the automatic platform screen doors will open automatically after a train reaches and halts at a station. They will close after the entry and exit process of passengers is completed. This system will render the rail tracks completely inaccessible and invisible to passengers, significantly reducing the chances of suicide attempts by jumping onto the tracks. This measure also aims to minimize delays in the metro schedule caused by such incidents. By eliminating the possibility of track-related suicides or attempts, the authorities hope to provide a safer environment for passengers and streamline the metro’s operations. This initiative will be implemented across all stations of the Kolkata Metro, which is the oldest metro rail system in the country, connecting Garia in the south to Dakshineswar in the north. The East-West Metro route, which connects Sealdah in central Kolkata to Salt Lake in the northern outskirts, already employs automatic platform screen doors successfully, with no reported incidents of suicide or suicide attempts on that route.
