W. Rly initiates various effective steps to ensure best safety aspects of rail travel

Western Railway has taken initiatives to provide various facilities to passengers especially when it comes to safety and security measures. They take various initiatives such as elimination of level crossings both unmanned as well as manned, interlocking of LC gates, construction of Road Over Bridges, Road Under Bridges, Limited Height Subways and conducting various special safety drives, safety audits including publication of Disaster Management Booklets, Mock drill with NDRF, fire fighting training and others.

According to a press release issued by WR CPRO Ravinder Bhakar, W. Rly has taken all best possible efforts for enhancing the safety quotient by initiating various steps. Western Railway has become 100% UMLC free on BG line with effect from October, 2018, by eliminating all 638 UMLCs. Similarly, all efforts are being taken for elimination of manned Level Crossings. Total 81 Nos of LCs (55 nos UMLCs on other lines + 26 nos MLCs) have been closed till June, 2019 during this financial year. 60 numbers of RUBs and 10 nos. of ROBs have been completed and four nos. of gates interlocked by open line, till June, 2019.

During the current financial year, 2 Intra Railway and 1 Inter Railway Safety Audits were conducted (upto 31st July, 2019) while in the previous year 2018-19, 5 Intra Railway and 1 Inter Railway Safety Audits were conducted. Various Safety Drives and joint exercise with NDRF were also conducted. 1 mock drill with ART/ARME has been conducted up to 31st July, 2019. Similarly, training for using fire extinguisher were carried out on a very large scale for all the station staff, maintenance depots, running staff and contractor staff. The recent edition of Disaster Management Booklets (version 2019) has been published at Western Railway Headquarter as well as at all Divisional level.

Bhakar further stated that “Level Crossing Awareness Week” (2nd June to 8th June, 2019) and “International Level Crossing Awareness Day” (6th June, 2019) was observed over W. Rly. On the occasion of International Level Crossing Awareness Day, Radio spots was telecasted and Jingle was also played at stations about precautions to be taken at Manned Level Crossings and road users were also educated on the subject. SMSs were sent to Mobile users, Nukkad Natak were organized at divisional level and also Mementos/Stickers/Pamphlets/Hand bill were distributed. Media was briefed about entire programme.

As a result of all these measures, no consequential train accidents occurred in suburban section till date. One Consequential train accident occurred during the current year (April to July 2019) as against one accident occurred in the corresponding period of last year (i.e April to July 2018) over W. Rly. Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD) cases reduced by 75% from 4 to 1 during the current year (April to July 2019) as compared to the corresponding period last year (i.e April to July 2018). This has been achieved through constant efforts of counseling of train crew and providing LRD (yard learning road on foot). No other train accident has occurred during the current year (April to July 2019) against 3 accidents occurred in the corresponding period of last year (i.e April to July 2018) over this Railway.