17 November,2023 05:27 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Indian Railway officials seize inflammable items. Pic/Western Railway
The Indian Railways have launched an intensive drive against inflammable items in trains, the Western Railway said on Friday.
According to an official statement, during this ongoing festive season, after detection of fire crackers in trains at various locations like New Delhi, Anand Vihar, Jabalpur, Vijaywada etc. stations, Ministry of Railways has issued instructions to zonal railways for a drive against carriage of inflammable items across the Indian Railways network.
It said, to make the train journey safer, the railways has urged passengers to be careful and not to carry and also not let their co-passengers carry inflammable objects while travelling on trains.
"All zonal railways have launched intensive awareness drive for the passengers. Regular announcements are being made at railway stations making an appeal not to carry inflammable and explosive objects like firecrackers, gas cylinders, acid, petrol, kerosene, etc, in passenger trains during a train journey," the statement said.
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It said, the zonal railways have directed concerned officials to keep a strict vigil on passenger movements while travelling by train. Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel have been alerted. Luggage and parcel items are being scanned thoroughly before loading.
A public awareness campaign encouraging rail passengers to take preventative measures to avert fire incidents :
No. of leaflets distributed : 36,852
No. of stickers/posted posters : 12,401
No. of Nukkad nataks performed : 638
No. of stations where announcements through PA system is made :14,362
Advertisement published in print media : 171
Video displayed in TV channels/RDN : 1,320
Posting of banners on social media : 928
A public awareness meeting conducted
No. of awareness meeting conducted with Parcel porters : 3,887
No. of awareness meeting conducted with Lease Holders & their staff : 2,145
No. of awareness meeting conducted with Parcel staff : 4,694
No. of awareness meeting conducted with pantry car staff : 9,386
No. of awareness meeting conducted with Catering staff of stations : 5,120
No. of awareness meeting conducted with Kuli: 5,094
No. of awareness meeting conducted with OBHS staff : 4,510
No. of awareness meeting conducted with other outsourced staff: 4,977
No. of awareness meeting conducted with Passengers: 79,060
Legal Actions Taken
No. of checks conducted in trains : 37,311
No. of checks conducted at stations : 22,110
No. of checks conducted at yards/ washing lines / pit lines/ fueling points : 7,656
Violators Booked
No. of violators jailed under section 153/164 of Railway Act for carrying inflammable articles, i.e. firecrackers and gas cylnders : 155
No. of violators booked for carrying Cigaretes/Beedi under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) : 3,284
"Indian Railways appeals to the railway passengers not to carry any inflammable materials gas cylinders, petrol, diesel, and kerosene, stoves, matchboxes, cigarette lighters, and any detonating substances, including firecrackers," the official statement said.
It said, "As per Sections 67, 164, and 165 of the Railway Act 1989, carrying flammable and explosive articles on railways constitutes a punishable offence, with penalties of up to Rs 1,000 or imprisonment for up to three years, or both, in addition to being responsible for any loss, injury, or damage caused."
Meanwhile, the official statement added, over the Western Railway, special drives were conducted to create awareness to not carry inflammable items in trains and in railway premises. A total of 13 cases were registered with arrest of 13 accused persons and seizure of inflammable items worth Rs.1.63 Lakh. An SMS campaign (1 Crore) was run by WR which was sent to 35 lakh mobile users.
It said that besides this, informative webcards were posted on various social media platforms such as X, Facebook, Koo and Instagram. Public awareness meetings with Pantry Car staff, Catering staff, Parcel staff, etc. were conducted. Intensive checks to detect inflammable items were conducted in trains and at stations. Leaflets/pamphlets were distributed to create awareness among railway commuters to not carry inflammable objects in trains or in railway premises. Announcements were also made through PA systems at stations.
