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South Central Railway Expands CCTV Surveillance After Train Fire Tragedy

South Central Railway has directed the expansion of CCTV surveillance coverage across all strategic locations following a fatal coach fire on the Tatanagar-Ernakulam Express. General Manager Sanjay Kumar Srivastava emphasized that while surveillance systems are crucial, human observation remains essential to compensate for technological limitations. The safety review meeting also addressed coach maintenance, station security, and improving train punctuality across the zone. These measures aim to prevent miscreant activities and enhance overall operational safety for passengers.

Key Points: SCR Expands CCTV Surveillance for Railway Safety After Fire

  • CCTV expansion at strategic locations
  • Safety review after fatal coach fire
  • Emphasis on human oversight of systems
  • Focus on punctuality and passenger amenities
2 min read

South Central Railway to expand coverage of CCTV surveillance system

South Central Railway orders expanded CCTV coverage and safety checks after a fatal train fire, emphasizing surveillance and human oversight.

"Every safety system has some limitations, and as humans, we need to observe the correctness of the system. – Sanjay Kumar Srivastava, GM, SCR"

Hyderabad, Dec 30

South Central Railway General Manager Sanjay Kumar Srivastava on Tuesday held a detailed review meeting on the safety of train operations across the zone and advised Divisional Railway Managers to expand the coverage of the CCTV surveillance system.

Srivastava stated that the CCTV surveillance system will be effective and crucial in the prevention of miscreant activities. He advised the DRMs to expand the coverage of the CCTV surveillance system to have comprehensive and extensive monitoring of the safety and security at all strategic locations.

He also advised the divisional officers that all the stabled coaches are locked properly and safety measures are to be observed at railway premises, including station areas, yards and sidings.

The meeting was held a day after two coaches of the Tatanagar-Ernakulam Express caught fire at Yelamanchili railway station in Anakapalli district of Andhra Pradesh. A passenger died in the accident.

The meeting held at Rail Nilayam, Secunderabad, was attended by Satya Prakash, Additional General Manager, SCR and Principal Heads of Departments. Divisional Railway Managers of all six divisions (Secunderabad, Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Guntur, Guntakal and Nanded) participated through video conference.

According to a statement from SCR, the safety meeting emphasised the importance of human observance in every safety system or equipment. The General Manager said that every safety system has some limitations, and as humans, we need to observe the correctness of the system. That involvement keeps train operations safe.

He stressed the need for timely communication to higher officials regarding any disruptions or unusual incidents during train operations or on the tracks. The meeting also stressed winter preparedness, and also on signal aspects and their working.

The General Manager advised to ensure the cleanliness of the coaches, lighting and air-conditioning to avoid complaints from the passengers and rail users.

He instructed officers and staff to conduct regular checks at level crossing gates, etc. He also reviewed on punctuality performance of trains across the zone.

He examined the division-wise punctuality statistics and instructed the Divisional Railway Managers to identify and monitor the trains which have lost punctuality and take appropriate measures to improve their punctuality.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Good move, but will it be maintained? So many times, CCTVs are installed but are non-functional within months. The focus should be on regular maintenance and monitoring, not just installation. The GM is right about human observation being key.
S
Suresh O
After the tragic fire accident, this review meeting was necessary. Safety cannot be compromised. Locking stabled coaches and checking level crossings are basic things that should never be ignored. Hope the officers follow through on these instructions.
A
Anjali F
Finally, someone is talking about coach cleanliness and AC! 🚂 Traveling in a dirty, smelly coach with broken fans is the worst. Improving these basic amenities is as important as security cameras. A clean journey is a safe journey.
D
David E
As an expat living in Hyderabad, I use SCR often. The punctuality review is crucial. Delays cause a massive domino effect. If they can improve on-time performance along with safety, it will be a huge boost for the region's connectivity and economy.
K
Karthik V
All these meetings and instructions sound good on paper. The real test is execution at the ground level. Will the station masters and staff on duty actually do these checks? Accountability is what's missing. The GM must ensure regular audits.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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