The Hindu Business Line : Upgrading disaster management

The strategy for setting up an effective disaster management system for the Railways has to be based upon the twin planks of a strong and appropriate infrastructure backed by a well-trained team of disciplined manpower. It should involve a coordinated effort by the Railways, armed forces, fire-brigade and the district administration.

IN THE aftermath of the Gaisal accident, the Union Government announced that a state-of-the-art Disaster Management System would be put in place in the Indian Railways.

The project made halting progress, till disaster visited the Railways again in the Rajdhani accident at Rafiganj. A one-man committee comprising the Member, Mechanical, Railway Board, submitted a report which, it is understood, is in various stages of implementation, monitoring, and review.

Despite best efforts to avert them, accidents happen. Post-facto, the two most important issues are providing relief to the affected and restoration of normal traffic. The relief and restoration operations are in most cases carried out in public gaze and under the watchful and critical eyes of the media.

The Railways has to put its best foot forward and project an image of an efficient organisation that is equal to the task.

Nothing controls panic more effectively than a disciplined response to an emergency. In some of the major accidents, such as, Gaisal, Khanna or Rafiganj, these traits at least in the public perception have been lacking.

No doubt massive efforts have been made since Independence to modernise and strengthen the infrastructure relating to accident restoration.

The replacement of steam cranes by high capacity diesel cranes and of non-standard stock by ICF all coil coaches along with induction of hydraulic re-railing equipment have imparted considerable capability to the Accident Relief Train.

There has been general upgradation of tools and tackles and the amenities to the staff, which has raised their productivity. Yet, the response to the accidents and emergencies continues to fall short of the expectations.

The induction of modern rolling stock has increased the operating speed of the Accident Relief Trains and brought down the transit time between the base depot to the accident site from the earlier 8-10 hours to 4-5 hours now.

But even this improvement is not enough, particularly when human lives are at stake. A paradigm shift is, therefore, called for.

The strategy for setting up an effective disaster management system for the Railways has to be based upon the twin plank of a strong and appropriate infrastructure backed by a well-trained team of disciplined manpower.

First, the Accident Relief Trains should cease to exist. In an effort to pack in a variety of capabilities, the Relief Train has been made unduly long, cumbersome, slow moving and difficult to position at the accident site. This should be unbundled into separate specialities.

The conventional composition of the relief train should only be the high capacity diesel operated crane accompanied by a crew rest van and a coach with general purpose tools and tackles.

The beat of the Accident Relief Train should be reduced from the previously 200/300 km to a maximum of 100 km.

The rest of the equipment such as hydraulic re-railing system, with power unit and accessories, illumination set up, communication set up, medical relief arrangements and track restoration facilities should be housed in road-cum-rail vehicles that can move to the accident site independently.

Similarly, the transport of drinking water and light refreshments should be by road. The conventional communication set up should be supplemented by cellular, GPS and V-SAT System. Hotlines with police control, fire-brigades and district administration should be set up.

The illumination equipment should be diesel generator based along with high capacity long life rechargeable battery type. These should be installed on special mounting arrangements to facilitate manoeuvrability at the accident site.

Only cold-cutting equipment should be used for extricating the trapped passengers as gas torches can cause fire and fatalities to the trapped passengers.

For critical equipment such as breakdown cranes, hydraulic re-railing equipment, communication equipment, outright import from reputed manufacturers should be resorted to.

Transfer of technology, indigenous manufacture, and arranging spares is a long drawn-out procedures.

By the time it is implemented, the technology is already outdated.

Even annual maintenance contracts could be given to the original equipment manufacturer and they should be encouraged to set up the maintenance organisation in Railway establishments.

A close liaison should be maintained with the district administration, army and the fire brigade so that their resources could be pooled and mobilised.

The fire brigade personnel are well trained in evacuating passengers trapped inside the coaches.

There are many organisations that specialise in disaster management. The Railways should invite such agencies to upgrade its systems, equipment and strike capabilities.

Finally, the relief and restoration activities consequent to a train accident instead of being Railway-centric, as at present, should involve a coordinated effort by the Railways, armed forces, fire-brigade and the district administration.

(The author is a former General Manager, Central Railway.)