Indian Railways Asks Zones To Take Fire Safety Measures During Festive Season

The Railway Board has asked all zones to take certain precautionary measures to prevent fire incidents in trains during the festive session. The board has suggested three steps: checking fire detection/suppression systems in coaches, checking parcel vans for inflammable material, and checking all dustbins in trains for inflammable materials.

In the wake of a series of fire incidents in trains, the Railway Board has asked all zones to take certain precautionary measures to prevent such mishaps during the upcoming festive season. In a letter to the general managers of all railway zones, the board has suggested three steps to ensure fire safety.

Fire Detection and Suppression Systems Check

According to the board, the departments concerned should check if the fire detection and suppression systems in coaches are properly functioning from November 1 to November 7. This will help in identifying any potential problems and taking corrective action before any incident occurs.

Thorough Checking of Parcels

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 vans.

Checking of Dustbins in Trains

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. This will help in preventing any accidental fires caused by the improper disposal of such materials.

The board has asked the respective railway zones to submit a comprehensive report along with corrective action taken by November 20, 2023. Pursuant to the board's letter, the respective railway zones have issued directions to the departments concerned for its immediate implementation.

In recent months, there have been several fire incidents in trains. 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.

The precautionary measures taken by the Railway Board are aimed at preventing such incidents and ensuring the safety of passengers during the upcoming festive season.