E-Paper
Railway tests emergency response during mock drill in Lucknow
Northern Railway conducted a mock drill in Lucknow to prepare for winter rail accidents amid dense fog, testing response and rescue operations.
With dense fog increasing the risk of rail mishaps during winter, Northern Railway’s Lucknow division on Friday conducted a full-scale railway accident mock drill near the Alambagh crossing to assess preparedness and response time during emergencies.
The exercise was held at the POH siding of Lucknow Yard, close to the Divisional Operational Training Centre, and simulated a serious accident involving a passenger special train. Three coaches were shown as having met with an accident and caught fire, creating a near-real scenario for rescue and relief operations.
Railway personnel, along with multiple emergency agencies, swung into action to rescue stranded passengers, provide first aid and evacuate the injured. While several passengers were “rescued” safely, a few were shown as casualties to test the coordination, endurance and decision-making skills of railway staff and rescue teams under pressure.
“Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), fire brigade, local police, Red Cross Society, railway medical services, Railway Protection Force (RPF), Scouts and Guides, civil defence and the district administration participated in the drill. An accident relief train and an accident relief medical van were also pressed into service, and a mock list of injured passengers was prepared,” said Sr DCM Kuldeep Tiwari.
The DCM further said the drill aimed to ensure quick, coordinated and effective response during fog-related emergencies, a period when visibility drops sharply and the chances of accidents rise.
Senior officials observed the exercise and stressed that such drills help railway staff remain alert, trained and ready to handle real-life emergencies with confidence and efficiency.
