Railways launches cleanliness drive ahead of I-Day
In Madurai, the campaign was inaugurated on Friday at the divisional railway manager's (DRM) office. The event was presided over by DRM Om Prakash Meena.
To mark the occasion, railway staff at various stations, including Madurai Junction, Karaikudi, Dindigul, and Tenkasi, took a Swachhata pledge, reaffirming their commitment to the
Swachh Bharat Mission
. At Madurai Junction, an awareness programme was organised by scouts and guides, alongside a rally conducted by sanitary workers to promote hygiene.
The drive will be conducted in two phases: Phase I from Aug 1 to 15, focusing on the removal of garbage and waste from station premises, platforms, and tracks, and phase II from Aug 16 to Oct 31, which will emphasise cleanliness in trains, stations, and other railway establishments.
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New Indian Express
6 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Guard-less goods train derailed in Dhanbad on Jul 31, poses threat to passenger trains: Union
NEW DELHI: The derailment of a fully-loaded goods train on July 31 between Kodarma and Giridih in the Dhanbad rail division has prompted the All India Guards Council to raise safety concerns and renew its demand for urgent filling of vacant train manager posts, warning that such lapses pose a serious threat to passenger trains as well. The council said the derailment occurred due to the absence of a guard (also called a train manager) to assist or guide the crew of the train and protect its rear. The Dhanbad Division of the East Central Railway didn't respond to the council's claims. "When the train was proceeding in an upward direction on a gradient, the locomotive couldn't pull its weight, and it started sliding back. There was no train manager in it. The loco pilot informed the station master, who decided to arrange an additional loco which could assist the train from behind," D Biswas, General Secretary of the All India Guards Council, said. "Since the train was on a curve, the loco pilot couldn't exactly tell the position of the brake van (the last coach meant for guards) and the additional loco coming to assist from behind collided with the brake, resulting in its derailment," Biswas said. The council office bearers said an able train manager could have guided the additional locomotive properly, as such incidents are a safety hazard for rail operations. They referred to the General and Subsidiary Rules of the Railways, which entrust a train manager with the duty to protect the rear of the train. "The train manager has a crucial duty to play. In case any train, be it freight or passenger, stops in between two stations, its the duty of the train manager to not only protect the rear of his/her train but the incoming train as well by ensuring that the tail light is correctly exhibited and switch on flasher light to signal the incoming train of its unusual and unscheduled stoppage," SP Singh, former General Secretary of the AIGC, said. He added, "The Railway norms also say that it is the duty of the guard to place detonators on the track between 600 and 1,200 metres away from his/her train on the same track to alert incoming trains." The council said that due to several posts lying vacant, many divisions have to operate the freight trains with only a loco pilot and the assistant loco pilot, as their priority is passenger trains. Hence, guards are mandatorily provided in passenger trains, causing a shortage for freight trains. "As on December 31, 2024, 27.28 per cent of the positions of train managers were vacant in the Indian Railways," Singh said. "The total sanctioned posts of train managers in the Indian Railway are 53,229. As of December 31, 2024, there were 38,709 train managers working, and 14,520 posts were vacant. It is not a safe practice to operate trains without a manager. We demand immediate filling of all posts in the interest of safe train operations." According to Singh, Railways should realise that a freight train without a guard is a huge risk to passenger trains that share the same track. "In case a freight train stops due to a technical snag or any other reason in between two stations, it is a big safety hazard for the incoming passenger trains as the freight train is a potential threat to the lives of hundreds of passengers, Singh said.
Hans India
6 hours ago
- Hans India
Guard-less goods train derailed in Dhanbad on Jul 31, poses threat to passenger trains: Union
The derailment of a fully-loaded goods train on July 31 between Kodarma and Giridih in the Dhanbad rail division has prompted the All India Guards Council to raise safety concerns and renew its demand for urgent filling of vacant train manager posts, warning that such lapses pose a serious threat to passenger trains as well. The council said the derailment occurred due to the absence of a guard (also called a train manager) to assist or guide the crew of the train and protect its rear. The Dhanbad Division of the East Central Railway didn't respond to the council's claims. "When the train was proceeding in an upward direction on a gradient, the locomotive couldn't pull its weight, and it started sliding back. There was no train manager in it. The loco pilot informed the station master, who decided to arrange an additional loco which could assist the train from behind," D Biswas, General Secretary of the All India Guards Council, said. "Since the train was on a curve, the loco pilot couldn't exactly tell the position of the brake van (the last coach meant for guards) and the additional loco coming to assist from behind collided with the brake, resulting in its derailment," Biswas said. The council office bearers said an able train manager could have guided the additional locomotive properly, as such incidents are a safety hazard for rail operations. They referred to the General and Subsidiary Rules of the Railways, which entrust a train manager with the duty to protect the rear of the train. "The train manager has a crucial duty to play. In case any train, be it freight or passenger, stops in between two stations, its the duty of the train manager to not only protect the rear of his/her train but the incoming train as well by ensuring that the tail light is correctly exhibited and switch on flasher light to signal the incoming train of its unusual and unscheduled stoppage," SP Singh, former General Secretary of the AIGC, said. He added, "The Railway norms also say that it is the duty of the guard to place detonators on the track between 600 and 1,200 metres away from his/her train on the same track to alert incoming trains." The council said that due to several posts lying vacant, many divisions have to operate the freight trains with only a loco pilot and the assistant loco pilot, as their priority is passenger trains. Hence, guards are mandatorily provided in passenger trains, causing a shortage for freight trains. "As on December 31, 2024, 27.28 per cent of the positions of train managers were vacant in the Indian Railways," Singh said. "The total sanctioned posts of train managers in the Indian Railway are 53,229. As of December 31, 2024, there were 38,709 train managers working, and 14,520 posts were vacant. It is not a safe practice to operate trains without a manager. We demand immediate filling of all posts in the interest of safe train operations." According to Singh, Railways should realise that a freight train without a guard is a huge risk to passenger trains that share the same track. "In case a freight train stops due to a technical snag or any other reason in between two stations, it is a big safety hazard for the incoming passenger trains as the freight train is a potential threat to the lives of hundreds of passengers,' Singh said.
New Indian Express
17 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Way to clean our clogged cities
With plastic waste clogging the drains, just a pre-monsoon shower was enough to flood parts of Mumbai a few weeks ago, with plastic waste often clogging the drains. This is not an isolated incident. Across Indian cities, growing waste is a major concern and its poor management is becoming an urban emergency. Urban India now produces over 62 million tonnes of solid waste each year, a figure projected to rise to 165 million tonnes by 2030. The growing gap between waste generation and its proper management threatens to disrupt civic services and turn open burning into a major urban issue. With more than 877 million people expected to live in Indian cities by 2050, managing waste effectively is critical to building resilient and healthy cities. While flagship initiatives like the Swachh Bharat Mission have pushed waste treatment from 18 percent in 2014 to 55 percent in 2021, systemic gaps still persist. Its second phase envisions 'garbage-free cities' by eliminating open dumping, ensuring 100 percent scientific treatment and remediating legacy waste from existing dumpsites. Cities like Indore, Navi Mumbai and Surat are now setting national benchmarks by aligning with these targets through sustained leadership, citizen participation and robust infrastructure. Analysis by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) of well-performing cities under the Swachh Survekshan survey highlights the importance of diagnosing the root causes of persistent urban waste challenges. We recommend four interventions. First, urban local bodies (ULB) must urgently develop clear waste reduction strategies and set measurable targets. Reducing garbage at the source is among the most effective ways to manage the growing burden of urban waste. Take Pune, for example—it has committed to a 25 percent reduction in waste by 2025 (compared to 2017 levels) and incentivises citizens through measures such as a 10 percent property tax rebate for green practices like home composting. In Delhi, the municipal corporation is developing zero-waste institutions and also recognising them by providing awards.
