NEW DELHI: A surprise inspection by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday unveiled a significant discrepancy between the reports from officials and the actual conditions on the ground. During a conference for track maintainers, Vaishnaw inquired about the distribution of “lightweight tools” to staff, to which the response was underwhelming.
“This is wrong. There is a sharp gap between your (official) reporting and the reporting from people here,” Vaishnaw stated. He pressed officials on the timeline for achieving the goal of distributing lightweight tools nationwide, promising, “In six months, you all, across the country, will get them, and in 6-8 months you will also get gauge measuring tools.” This announcement elicited applause from railway employees, who play a vital role in ensuring safe train operations.
Emphasizing that the safety of passengers and railway workers is a primary government focus, Vaishnaw noted that several initiatives have been implemented to effectively reduce accidents and fatalities. He highlighted the development of a mobile application designed to provide track workers with real-time updates and alerts regarding approaching trains, which aims to enhance accident prevention. The app, currently undergoing testing for over 18 months, will soon be accessible to all personnel working on the tracks.
“The reliability of getting updates through the mobile phone system is much higher than the VHF-based device. Everyone working on tracks will get the app for personal safety. If you are safe, then railways is safe,” he remarked.
Vaishnaw also assured that complete modernization of track maintenance is planned over the next 7-8 years, stating that track workers will soon be equipped with torque machines to replace the cumbersome heavy hammers currently in use. Presently, workers are required to carry these heavy tools while walking long distances to maintain the tracks.
The All India Railway Federation (AIRF), which hosted the conference to advocate for the safety and welfare of over 250,000 workers, reaffirmed its commitment to two objectives: ensuring the safety of railway operations and the well-being of track maintenance staff.
