दानापुर मंडल में विंटर सीजन की तैयारियां आरंभ

PATNA: The railways have launched `winter safety’ drive in the Danapur division of East Central Railway (ECR) from November 7 to ensure foolproof

safety to passengers. A comprehensive plan has been chalked out to make the safety drive a great success. The drive will continue till January 2009 and it will be extended further depending on severity of the weather condition prevailing in the division, said senior divisional safety officer (senior DSO) of Danapur division B N P Verma. According to him, the railways have identified the fog-prone stations located mainly on the mainline section of the division. These stations are mostly in the Tal area at Mokama and in between Neora and Buxar stations. However, a recent survey carried out in the division revealed that about 40 per cent stations of Danapur division are fog-affected. The railways have thus concentrated more on stepping up winter safety measures in these areas, he said. Under the safety plan, the railways have installed flasher lights and retro-reflective posts at each vulnerable station in the division. The visibility test objects (VTOs) and track falling lines have been painted in fog-prone areas. Since the mainline section of the division has been fully electrified from Mughalsarai to Jhajha, there is the need to maintain extra alertness on the tracks from safety point of view, the senior DSO said. According to Verma, the railways had recently launched a safety drive in the division mainly to check winter safety preparation work. During this period, counselling of both drivers and guards of the trains was held in the division so that these operating staff were aware of the winter safety measures, he said. The senior DSO said the division has fully ensured now that the operating staff must read winter safety rules first and then resume their duty. While supervisors of the safety wing will strictly monitor safety measures from 10 pm to 6 am each day in the Danapur control room, the railways have asked both officials and inspectors to do `foot plating’ on the locomotives of the trains during night, he said, adding the maximum speed limit of each train will be 60 kmph during the foggy condition. According to Danapur PRO R K Singh, the railways have plenty of `detonators’ (fog signals) in stock to use them in emergency during foggy weather condition. These fog signals have been duly supplied to each vulnerable station falling under the division. Besides, fog signal men have been also deployed on duty at each affected station to maintain full winter safety, he said, adding that the railways have set up a committee in the division to implement fully safety measures in the division. According to the PRO, the railways have put key men on high alert, particularly in the night. They have been asked to carry out track patrolling work especially at all vulnerable places, including bridges, from the safety point of view, he said.