Latest news with #MSenthamilSelvan
India Today
13-05-2025
- India Today
Railway blames passenger for berth fall, injury on Chennai-Palakkad express
The Railways has released a clarification regarding a berth collapse on a train that injured a woman passenger. The woman is reported to have suffered a head injury when the middle berth of a sleeper coach gave way while she was travelling on the Dr MGR Chennai Central-Palakkad incident took place on May 12, shortly after the train passed Jolarpettai station in Tamil Nadu, while the passenger was asleep in the lower berth. At the time of the mishap, the middle berth was a press release issued on the same day, the Southern Railway stated: 'The unfortunate incident appears to have occurred due to improper handling of the chain link hook by the passenger,' suggesting that the locking mechanism may not have been secured properly. Southern Railway officials confirmed that the passenger declined medical attention when the train was near Morappur, the nearest station, and instead deboarded later at Salem station. The station master at Salem arranged for an ambulance, and she was rushed to the Government Hospital in Salem at around 3.05 am. According to officials, the woman has since been discharged after receiving treatment.A team of railway officials inspected the coach and found that the chain and hook used to hold the middle berth in place were working properly and met safety standards. The berth would only unlock if lifted more than 2.5 centimetres, which is normal. The coach had already gone through a full check-up in March 2025 and did not need any more repairs. Before the train left Chennai on May 12, it was also checked again and declared fit for Railways reiterated that all coach maintenance protocols had been followed, and placed the onus of the accident on user error. 'Passenger safety is a shared responsibility,' the press note added, urging passengers to properly secure middle berths using the designated chain link hook to prevent such Railway's Chief Public Relations Officer M Senthamil Selvan concluded the statement with an appeal: 'Passengers are kindly requested to ensure that the middle berth is properly secured using the chain link hook after use. Improper handling or failure to lock the berth correctly may pose safety risks to fellow passengers.' IN THIS STORY#Tamil Nadu#Kerala
NDTV
21-04-2025
- General
- NDTV
"High Speeds...": Railways Bats For Vande Bharat Amid Safety Concerns
New Delhi: Vande Bharat - Indian Railway's flagship service and the country's first indigenously designed and manufactured semi high-speed train - has several features, including the Kavach, a state-of-the-art automated train protection system, Southern Railway Monday evening. The clarification came after a report by the Commission of Railway Safety - a statutory body acting as the railway safety authority - flagged the risk of serious accidents in cases where a Vande Bharat, which typically runs up to 160 km per hour, collides with cattle on the track. The report also pointed to the weight of the first coach, which is much lighter than those attached to regular locomotives and may be more susceptible to high-speed damage. The report was seen as significant given the Railways plans to run even regular trains at speeds up to 160 km per hour, necessitating the need for strong safety features onboard and off. READ | Vande Bharat Train Hits Peak Speed Of 180 Kmph During Trials "High speeds, enhanced safety standards, and world-class service are the hallmarks of this train," Southern Railway said from its Chennai HQ, explaining that the Vande Bharat's distinctive cone-shaped nose was designed to deflect impact energy. "The front nose cone is designed to absorb energy in case of cattle hit. It is made of material that crumbles and absorbs impact energy. For additional safety, there is a cattle guard at the front to deflect anything that comes on the track," the release explained. "Exactly for that reason, cattle hits have not led to major disasters." Since its launch in February 2019, there have been numerous reports of Vande Bharat trains running into cattle. In January 2023, after several such incidents, Western Railways began erecting metal barriers along the more than 620-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad route. That cost nearly Rs 243 crore. Since then, according to Railway officials, over 3,500 km of tracks have been fenced. There have also been recommendations to eliminate level crossings on Vande Bharat routes. The commission has also recommended deploying RPF, or Railway Protection Force, personnel at spots frequented by cattle and building subways for animal movement. Meanwhile, Chief Public Relations Officer M Senthamil Selvan also pointed to the Kavach system, noting the Vande Bharat trains had run around 3.5 crore kilometres, or around 870 times the Earth's perimeter, and that it had proven to be "safe and efficient". As of December, there were more than 136 Vande Bharat services. And, as the government presented its budget in February, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said there are plans for "200 new Vande Bharat trains" as part of a proposal to make rail travel faster.
