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Tabletop drill: Railways tests multi-agency disaster preparedness
Railway officials said the drill was aimed at identifying operational gaps, testing communication channels and assessing the availability and deployment of critical resources in the event of train accidents, fires, derailments or natural disasters affecting rail operations.
The Lucknow division of Northern Railway (NR) on Wednesday conducted a high-level disaster management tabletop exercise to test real-time preparedness and coordination among multiple emergency response agencies.
Railway officials said the drill was aimed at identifying operational gaps, testing communication channels and assessing the availability and deployment of critical resources in the event of train accidents, fires, derailments or natural disasters affecting rail operations.
Held at the divisional headquarters, the exercise brought together officials from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), district disaster management authority, fire services, municipal corporation, civil defence and various railway departments, focusing on how quickly and effectively agencies can respond during large-scale emergencies.
Divisional railway manager (DRM) Sunil Kumar Verma stressed that delayed coordination and lack of clarity during the first few hours of a disaster often lead to higher casualties. “Only pre-planned strategies and seamless coordination between agencies can minimise loss of life and ensure faster rescue and relief,” he said.
Agencies presented their response timelines, manpower strength, specialised equipment and evacuation plans, while scenarios requiring joint action such as mass casualty management, fire containment and crowd control were discussed in detail.
Officials said the tabletop drill also highlighted the need for faster information sharing and integrated command during emergencies, particularly in densely populated urban areas where railway infrastructure overlaps with civilian zones.
Senior divisional commercial manager (NR) Kuldeep Tiwari said such preparedness exercises would now be conducted more frequently to strengthen on-ground response and ensure that all stakeholders are aligned before an actual crisis strikes.
