Taking serious view of recent derailments of passenger carrying trains, Minister of Railways Shri Suresh Prabhu has directed railway administration to launch a massive safety drive across entire Indian Railways network focusing on the strong measures for preventing derailments. Derailment of trains is one of the major causes of railway accidents constituting on an average 50% of the total railway accidents.
The Railway Minister reviewed the safety measures with the Railway Board. Zonal Railways and Railway Divisions have been directed to gear up their machinery to carry out this drive effectively. Senior officers including Divisional Railway Managers have been asked to be actively associated with the safety drive. Safety drive will be constantly monitored in the railway board by the safety directorate.
Suitable follow up action will be taken on all deficiencies and irregularities noticed during the drive. The corrective measures wherever required should immediately be taken to ensure safety in railway operations. The result and report of the drive will also be used for long term measures. It has been reemphasized that safety in railway operations should continue to be the top most priority at all levels.
The fortnight long safety drive beginning from 1st September, 2016 will among other things lay emphasis on the following aspects :
1. Emphasis to be placed on maintenance of track, prevention of rail fractures and weld failures.
2. Review of fracture prone locations – identification of OBS(under observation) and IMR (Immediate Replacement) locations, action plan for removal, immediate remedial measures like speed restriction, patrolling, casual renewals etc. be taken.
3. There should be zero missing fittings particularly at locations like approaches to bridges, curves, cuttings and high banks etc.
4. Track geometry especially on curves and transition portion of curves be checked and corrective action taken.
5. Identification of sections where there is backlog in USFD inspection and taking action to clear the backlog. USFD testing of wheel burnt/scabbed location by hand probing.
6. Joining inspection of points and crossings by engineering and S&T officials compliance of items of previous drive on inspection of maintenance of turnouts, replacement of switches and crossings.
7. To strictly comply with the norms laid down for maintenance of all the running lines including loop liens in station limit.