Level crossing accidentThe tragedy at a railway level crossing near Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu is symbolic of the Indian way of defying rules and regulations. I am now in the United States and in a neighbourhood that is very close to a railway track. I find no gatekeeper and no barrier rods but only a traffic signal-like warning. Yet, citizens dutifully stop their vehicles and wait for the green signal before proceeding. People here are aware that one stands no chance before a mighty railway engine.Some time ago, I had an opportunity to interact with the loco pilot of the Deccan Queen train, from Pune to Mumbai. He was cruising well over 90 kmph and on reaching Ambernath slowed down, well aware that this was the point in the journey where pedestrians begin crossing the railway tracks. Hence, a reduction in speed was essential.For loco pilots of the Rajdhani express, Vande Bharat, and of course the futuristic bullet train, they will remain in fear of irresponsible and daredevil âtrack crossersâ.Subramaniam Sankaran,San Carlos Pl, Fremont, CA, U.S.While conflicting versions are being circulated about the accident, serious questions arise. How many more non-interlocked railway crossings across the country are there? Why does it take a tragedy for safety improvements? The upgradation of non-interlocked crossings to automated systems and strict enforcement of safety protocols in railways must be ensured.R. Sivakumar,ChennaiWhen the Indian Railways is spending crores of rupees in adding more trains to generate revenue, why is it counting its pennies when it comes to safety measures?Murali Mohan P.V.,ChennaiSelf nominationIt is shocking that we have a set of world leaders who keep hailing one another as âgreat and mightyâ and suitable recipients for the Peace Nobel. Giving the coveted prize to a person who has not done even the bare minimum to stop a painful war would be most terrible.Layona Maria,Varappuzha, KeralaGrass court calendarIn Wimbledon, with different winners in eight years in the womenâs field, unpredictability has become the norm. This diversity highlights the depth of the womenâs game but also suggests a gap in surface-specific mastery. The grass season remains too short for players to develop meaningful consistency. Administrators must consider an expanded grass-court calendar to reward adaptation and produce champions who can dominate, not just survive.Nagarajamani M.V.,HyderabadâQualifying dateâIn the article, âThe ECI does not have unfettered powersâ (Opinion page, July 9), there appears to be an incorrect detail â that the âqualifying dateâ can be only January 1. Section 14 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, referred to in the article, was amended in the year 2021. As in the amendment, with effect from 2022, the âqualifying dateâ means âthe 1st ofâ January, April, July or October of the year in which the electoral roll is prepared or revised.Rangarajan R.,ChennaiPublished - July 10, 2025 12:24 am IST