Suburban trains must depart within 30 seconds: Sealdah Div

Kolkata: In a bid to enhance punctuality and efficiency of the train services, the Sealdah Division of Eastern Railway (ER) has mandated that suburban local trains depart from stopping stations within 30 seconds, provided all conditions for departure are met.

According to Railway authorities, the 30-second departure rule is already in existence. However, at stations with a higher footfall, trains would often stop for over 30 seconds, with wait times sometimes extending to one to two minutes. This delay caused a cascading effect on the punctuality of the entire train schedule. It was already alleged that the trains in suburbs frequently run late due to numerous level crossings along different routes. Moreover, excessive waiting times at stations further contributed to these delays.

To address this issue the Sealdah Division has set a maximum waiting time of 30 seconds at most stations for suburban local trains, barring those with specific extended stoppage timings. Additional Commercial and Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel will be deployed to manage crowds and ensure prompt departures. Train managers in the Sealdah Division have been instructed to adhere strictly to this rule, with any delays recorded and properly documented. Station masters are also required to monitor departures closely and report any irregularities to the Board Controller. Furthermore, concerned officials are tasked with ensuring adequate manpower at vulnerable stations for crowd management, especially during peak hours, to support timely train departures.