Aurangabad migrant workers' death: Loco pilots to whistle frequently, send bulk msgs to all passengers
BENGALURU: The running over of 16 migrants sleeping on railway tracks by a goods train on Friday morning at Aurangabad has spurred the Indian Railways to ask its drivers to be extra cautious when steering trains and to blow the whistle more frequently to alert trespassers. Since Friday morning, the Indian Railways has also been reaching out to public through all forms of communication.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Divisional Railway Manager, Bengaluru Division Ashok Kumar Varma said that the Safety department of Bengaluru branch of the South Western Railway has been sending bulk messages to the database of passengers available with Indian Railways.
"Be careful, goods and maintenance trains are running. Crossing, walking, sleeping on railway track is dangerous and a crime." South Western Railway was also using social media to caution public, he added.
Goods vehicles carry massive loads of atleast 4,500 tonnes and so such trains could stop only at a distance of 800 metres even if emergency brakes are applied and after crossing 1200 metres in case of normal brakes.
"As a general rule, Loco Pilots or Assistant Loco Pilots steering trains have generally been instructed to whistle loud at six locations to alert passengers or animals that are in the vicinity of railway tracks: at level crossings, railway stations, curves of railway tracks, in locations where visibility not being clear and in areas where railway construction activity is going on. We have now asked them to be extra cautious and to whistle at more locations just as a precaution in the aftermath of the recent mishap," the DRM said.
In addition to that, railway patrolmen have also been told to be on constantly on the look out for any cases of trespassing on tracks, Varma added.