Mumbai, Dec 16 (PTI) The Western Railway (WR) saidtoday that enhanced safety measures, including work siteinspections and training sessions for the staff on key issues,has led to a "significant" drop in train accidents across itssix divisions.
The WR said that while eight rail-related accidentshad been registered in its network in the last fiscal, onlythree accidents were reported in the last nine months.
"Last fiscal, only eight rail-related incidents werereported across all the zones. Considering the safety measuresthat we have taken up, we are confident that this number willgo down further in the current year. In the past nine monthsof current financial year, only three accidents have beenregistered," WR chief spokesperson Ravinder Bhakar said.
A statement issued by WR said that owing to theenhanced safety measures, Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Rajkotdivisions have achieved the record of zero accidents duringthe 2016-17 fiscal.
"The number of rail-related accidents in Mumbaidivision have dropped drastically by 75 per cent this year.
The accidents in Ratlam division have come down by 33 per centas compared to the previous fiscal," it said.
In 2016-17, no train accident at unmanned levelcrossing was reported, the statement said adding, "Even thisyear, all the best possible efforts are being taken tomaintain similar safety performance."After a spate of rail accidents in the recent years,the Railway Ministry has laid down strict parameters and haveasked zonal railways to ensure zero tolerance over safetyissues.
Talking about the measures taken to curb derailmentsand other accidents, Bhakar said periodic monitoring is doneby the branch officers of the Engineering, Signal &Telecommunication departments and super-checked by the Safetydepartment.
"Shunting Melas (training sessions on how to movetrains between the yards and platforms) are organised at majorstations and yards and attended by senior officials at variouslocations in the division during the special safety drives.
Safety seminars are also organised," he said.
Frequent work site inspection, regular safety drivesand most importantly deployment of 'Gate Mitra' (gatecounsellors) at all unmanned level crossings and they haveplayed a great role in preventing accidents at these spots,"Bhakar said.
"Safety drives and joint ambush checks with civilpolice, identification of vulnerable unmanned gates andtemporary manning of gates have extensively helped in reducingaccidents," he added. PTI APMNP.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.