Concern over Unsafe Rail Level Crossings

Safety officials urged to intensify field inspection of stations

HYDERABAD: Railway Board member Traffic), DP Pande has expressed concern over the rise in the number of accidents at level crossings.

He stressed upon the utmost importance of safety in train operations. Safety can not take a back seat and that railway staff should always accord top most priority for safe running of trains, he added.

Pande, who conducted a high-level regional safety review meeting of four Zonal Railways - South Central Railway (SCR), Southern Railway (SR), South Western Railway (SWR) and West Central Railways (WCR) at Rail Nilayam, directed that the field staff should quickly implement various identified solutions such as posting gatemen, providing additional warning boards, whistling boards etc. to avoid accidents at level crossings.

He called upon all the senior safety officials present at the meeting to intensity field inspections of stations and other work units and also to take necessary advance corrective action to preempt any possible mishap.

He emphasised on ensuring the maintenance of railway assets like wagons, coaches, tracks and signaling gears etc., which will prevent any chance of derailments.

He also directed the safety organisation to conduct frequent safety audits and take immediate follow-up action to rectify the deficiencies noticed. 

Railway Board Adviser on Safety, Sanjeev Garg said this high level regional safety review meeting is fourth in a series of such reviews which are being undertaken by Railway Board. The earlier reviews  were conducted in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata cities.

He underscored the need for imbibing safety measures  as an integral part of Railway work culture to prevent any untoward incidents from happenning. Safety in train operations is a critical pre-requisite for expanding services and growth of Railways, he cautioned.

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