Railway Board directs zones to launch fire safety drive from Nov 1
NEW DELHI: Following a series of fire incidents in trains, the Railway Board has asked all zones to take certain precautionary measures so that such mishappenings can be prevented during the festive session.
“In the light of recent cases of fire in trains and upcoming festive sessions, it is advised to launch the following drives for fire safety assurances,” the board wrote to the general managers of all railway zones, suggesting three steps.
According to the board, the departments concerned should check if the fire detection/suppression systems in coaches are properly functioning starting from November 1 to November 7.
To ensure that parcel vans are not carrying any inflammable material, the board has asked the zones to thoroughly check all the parcels starting from November 1 till November 14.
“As the festival of Diwali falls on November 12, the board wants to ensure that people should not send crackers or any other inflammable material through railway parcel van,” a board official said.
He added, “The board has also advised zones to include checking of all dustbins in the trains during the drive so that inflammable materials such as cigarettes, wrappers etc can be identified and removed.”
Advising the departments concerned not to check the same train and their coaches repeatedly, the board’s letter, dated October 31, stated, “A comprehensive report as per the enclosed proforma along with corrective action taken may be submitted for the information of the board by 20.11.2023.”
Pursuant to the board’s letter, the respective railway zones have issued directions to the departments concerned for its immediate implementation.
On October 25, a few coaches of the Patalkot Express caught fire in Agra district of Uttar Pradesh.
Five coaches of a passenger train were gutted in a fire in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district on October 16.
In August, a fire broke out in two air-conditioned coaches of the stationary Udyan Express at the Bengaluru City
Railway Station.
