Railways’ communication systems should be better utilised for disaster management, according to a member of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
Presiding over a seminar on disaster management organised by the Palakkad division of Southern Railway in Palakkad on Saturday, T. Nandakumar, Member, NDMA, said the Indian Railways’ communication system should be fully exploited during disasters since other communication systems get jammed due to overload at the time of a disaster, he said. He recalled that Railways had given logistics support during all the major disasters by providing special trains and other required assistance.
Correct information
Nandakumar said information regarding accidents should be precise and accurate. Wrong information will create panic among the relatives of passengers.
He also requested Railways to find better ways to remove injured passengers from capsized bogies during accidents, according to a press release issued by the Palakkad division. Use of gas cutters and welding machines would create fear of danger to the passengers inside the damaged bogies, he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Piyush Agarwal, Divisional Railway Manager, Palakkad, said his division has the necessary infrastructure to face any type of crisis.
vinayak.aj
@thehindu.co.in
