New Delhi (NVI): Indian Railways has launched a massive drive against smoking and carriage of inflammable material in trains after various fire incidents were reported across the country.
The Railways launched this drive in the view of incidents of fire resulting in loss of property and danger to life in various Zonal Railways. Of this, few incidents appeared to have been caused by smoking onboard or transportation of inflammable material by the train.
“To curb such incidents, Indian Railways launched a massive drive against smoking and carriage of inflammable material through Railways,” the Ministry of Railways said in a statement.
The ministry also informed that the drive was launched on March 22. The legal action against violators will be taken from March 31 and the drive will continue till April 30.
Indian Railways has also instructed all Zonal Railways to launch an “Intensive Awareness Drive” of 7 days, the statement noted.
The drive will educate all the stakeholders i.e. railway users and railway/non railway employees working at stations among others about precautions to be taken against fire incidents like enforcing “No Smoking”, preventing carriage of inflammable material through rail, checking SLRs/VPUs/Leased parcels against transportation of inflammable material etc.
It will be done through direct interaction, distribution of leaflets, pamphlets, pasting of stickers, conducting Nukkad Nataks, announcement through PA System at stations, advertisement in print, electronic media and social media, the ministry said.
“After the awareness drive, an intensive and sustained drive should be launched,” the Railways said.
Further, the Railways stated that passenger will be booked for smoking in trains and railway premises under relevant provisions of Railways Act or Tobacco Act.
“Regular checks may be done in trains against carriage of inflammable and explosive goods, including pantry cars (for carriage of LPG cylinders) and violators may be booked under relevant sections of Railways Act,” the statement said.
It added that checking of parcels booked through parcel offices/leaseholders will be done to curb chances of booking of inflammable and explosives material transported by the Railways.
Apart from that, the Indian Railways may also take action against authorized or unauthorized vendors using sigri/stoves in trains and at station platforms, the ministry said.
-RJV
