Patna: A gateman stationed at a railway level crossing near Mokama Junction has been suspended after allegedly falling asleep while on duty, leading to disruptions in train movement and severe traffic congestion on Sunday morning.
Railway officials said the level crossing gate, located west of Mokama Junction, remained closed for around 10 minutes after the gateman, identified as Shiv Kumar, reportedly shut the barrier and fell asleep inside the cabin.
During that period, operations of three trains were affected and long queues of vehicles accumulated on the adjoining road.
Three Trains Delayed As Communication Failed
According to railway officials, repeated attempts were made by Rail Control and the Mokama station panel room to contact the gateman, but no response was received.
When staff members were eventually sent to inspect the crossing, Shiv Kumar was allegedly found asleep.
The disruption affected several trains, including:
- the Patna-Jhajha MEMU
- the South Bihar Express
- the Jan Shatabdi Express
Train movement on both the up and down lines remained stalled until communication was restored and the gate reopened.
Traffic Chaos At Railway Crossing
Local residents described chaotic scenes at the crossing as road traffic came to a standstill.
With the gate remaining shut for an extended period, some commuters reportedly attempted to push motorcycles and bicycles underneath the barrier to cross the tracks.
Officials said the prolonged closure created congestion on both sides of the crossing.
Railway Launches Departmental Inquiry
Station Master Hari Shankar Kumar said the gateman’s duty shift ran from 10pm on Saturday until 6am on Sunday.
He confirmed that Shiv Kumar had been suspended on charges of negligence and that a departmental inquiry had been initiated.
Gateman Reportedly Unwell
Reports suggest the employee had been suffering from fever and exhaustion while on duty.
Because no additional staff member was present inside the cabin, communication between the western railway cabin and the control panel room reportedly broke down entirely once the gateman became unresponsive.
As a result, neither train signals nor the level crossing gate could be operated for several minutes, bringing both rail and road movement to a halt.
