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Odisha train accident: Avoid shortcuts, report near misses, Railways tell staff
The CRB has asked all zonal railways to not undertake maintenance work without railway blocks.
The railway board — in its first high-level meeting after last week’s triple-train accident in Odisha’s Balasore — has instructed its staff to report all near misses, warned them against taking shortcuts and ordered frequent audits at inter-zonal and inter-divisional levels, people familiar with the development said on Wednesday.
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In the meeting, headed by chairman railway board (CRB) Anil Kumar Lahoti on Tuesday, zonal railways were asked to undertake maintenance block-rolling block programme over the next six months.
A block is an arrangement of blocking tracks against movement of traffic over a particular section.
“Rolling block programme will be made for 26 weeks and will have daily schedule of works required to be done in a block. This programme will be reviewed every week,” an official said, requesting anonymity.
At the meeting, divisional railway managers (DRMs) and zonal heads were instructed to have a programme of day-to-day schedule of works required to be done in a block. They have also been instructed to review the programme every week, the official added.
The CRB has asked all zonal railways to not undertake maintenance work without railway blocks. Corridor blocks for maintenance should be planned by all zonal railways.
“Board officials warned [employees] of not resorting to shortcuts. They said if maintenance is to be done then getting block or disconnection should be ensured,” said a second official, also declining to be named. “We have been instructed to review the maintenance of wagons, coaches, operations, crew and all aspects related to safety thoroughly.”
The board also asked zonal officials to resolve all deficiencies noted during these inspections on an urgent basis.
“Officials have been asked by the department heads to plan all signalling related work and club them, especially signalling and telecommunication (S&T), and ensure safety,” the second official said.
The high-level meeting was called in the wake of one of the worst train accidents in India in the last three decades, in which at least 288 people were killed and 1,100 injured after three trains collided in Odisha’s Balasore on Friday.
In the high-level meeting, the board also the DRMs to interact with their staff and assure them that all blocks or disconnections will be provided as per the requirement, officials said. The staff concerned should complete the testing and maintenance in all aspects before giving clearance, the board officials told.
“The emphasis in the meeting was on the culture of safety and that any unsafe practice should be done away with. All the near misses were also asked to be taken up seriously,” another official said, declining to be named. “The officials warned of not taking any shortcuts to resolve any matter.”
Senior officials have been asked to make field visits and spend time with their staff counsel and correct them immediately, if needed to be done on the spot.
Focusing on employees well-being, the officials have also been instructed to resolve any issues that the field staff is facing and the matter should be given attention and brought to a logical conclusion.
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The board officials informed that reports of such cases will have to be submitted to the director general (safety) and that they will monitor such cases on a daily basis. Senior board officials also emphasised that blocks and disconnections are important and that uncertainty have to be done away with and such blocks should be planned in advance.
Board officials also suggested a weekly mega block for major works and cancellation trains, if required, should be well planned. They issued instruction to prepare for the upcoming monsoons in all the vulnerable locations.
