Representational picture solely.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
In a bid to ensure clean and secure motion of trains, the Indian Railways has launched a system of periodic counselling for Train Managers and Section Controllers on their duties and duties.
The transfer comes days after the devastating train accident involving the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express, Yeshwantpur-Howrah Express and a items train at Bahanaga Bazar railway station in Balasore Division of South Eastern Railway on June 2, 2023, which left 288 passengers useless and greater than 900 injured.
While the train of offering counselling to Station Masters and Pointsmen is already in place in all zones, the Railway Board on June eight wrote to General Managers of all Zonal Railways to deal with the matter as “most urgent” and launch an everyday programme for train working workers on “specific safety and movement issues”.
“As part of the programme, the safety advisory said a senior Train Manager and Section Controller with adequate knowledge of best practices in safe train operations be nominated as the resource person to train other colleagues for enhancing alertness and proper compliance to other responsibilities during normal and abnormal situations,” a railway officer mentioned.
Smart watches banned
In a associated growth, the Madurai Division of the Southern Railway has banned using good watches by Loco Running Staff whereas on obligation. In a round, the Senior Divisional Electrical Engineer Ravikumaran Nair mentioned that “the usage of smart watch by Loco Running Staff is banned on footplate with immediate effect.”
In a latest verify, he mentioned a Loco Pilot on obligation was ceaselessly his good watch because it usually turned on with alerts. This was noticed when the train was being operated at a velocity of 110 kmph.
“On further study of the features available on smart watches, it is understood that a smart watch can replicate the calls coming from the mobile phones connected through bluetooth. It is obvious that a Running Staff’s attention can be diverted by a smart watch if the same is connected from another mobile phone, which is hidden from him/her. The above situation is more dangerous,” the officer mentioned.
The Ministry of Railways has already banned using cell phones by Locopilots whereas on obligation. Frequent checks are carried out to ensure that their cell phones are in “switched off” mode. “Even keeping the mobile phone in mute is not allowed while on duty as it will divert the attention of the Loco Running Staff since their mind will be enthusiastic to check for any missed call…,” he mentioned.