Source: https://www.livemint.com/news/india/indian-railways-to-launch-month-long-mega-safety-drive-today-here-s-why-11666922674907.html
Publisher: Live Mint
The Ministry of Railways has directed zonal railways to launch a month-long safety drive starting today, October 28, to remove any gaps in the maintenance of fixed assets, locomotives, and rolling stock and strengthen safety on Indian Railways, according to the news agency ANI.
During this safety drive, Indian Railways will ensure that extant procedures are being conformed and monitoring of human factors shall be done.
Railway Board, in an official statement, has directed all zonal railways to ensure that officers in headquarters and divisions carry out a thorough inspection and ensure the correction of deficiencies found during inspections within the drive.
“At least one Headquarter officer must be on inspection on each day during the drive in each Division. Also, each major section of each division must be under Night Foot Plate Inspection by an Officer. All sections of Divisions are to be inspected by DRMs/ADRMs. The general health of fixed assets is to be examined,” the statement read.
It further stated that directives for this mega Safety Drive from Railway Board include regular patrolling of all tracks and the same should be monitored on day to day basis, surprise checks at stations to ensure proper operational practices are being followed; no safety system is being bypassed. Also, the gate, station, and other operating staff shall be encouraged to be vigilant.
Meanwhile, Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the Centre has started over 250 special trains for the upcoming Chhath Puja.
“For Chhath Puja, we have started over 250 trains. Around 1.4 lakhs berths have been made available and we will do whatever is necessary for the people,” Ashwini Viashnaw said, ANI reported.
This came after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had earlier appealed to the Centre to provide special trains for Chhath Puja for people wishing to go to their native places for the festival.
