Vijayawada: In the wake of fire accidents occurring on trains across the country, an appeal has been made by two divisions of the Railways to passengers asking them not to carry inflammable materials on trains.
South Central Railway Zone’s Vijayawada Division and East Coast Railway’s Waltair Division on Friday urged passengers not to carry inflammable materials such as gas cylinders, petrol, diesel, kerosene, stoves, matchboxes, cigarette lighters and any detonating substances, including firecrackers.
“Carrying inflammable and explosive articles on railways is a punishable offence and stern action would be taken under Sections 67, 164 and 165 of the Railway Act, 1989 with penalties of up to Rs 1,000 or imprisonment for up to three years or both,” Narendra A Patil, divisional railways manager (DRM), Vijayawada Division, said in a press release.
Besides the penal provisions, he said the culprits will also be held responsible for any loss, injury or damage caused due to their actions.
Around Diwali time, the Vijayawada Division had conducted a special awareness campaign among passengers on fire accidents prevention and also a special drive against carrying explosives and inflammable substances between October 18 and November 16.
Saurabh Prasad, DRM, Waltair Division, which recently witnessed a train accident which resulted in 13 fatalities, noted that special drives are in full swing to prevent passengers from carrying inflammable materials on trains.
“With the recent incidents of fire accidents in trains in various places of the country, railways intensified checks in trains, at stations and in railway premises to keep a vigil on passengers to prevent carrying inflammable objects on trains,” he added.
Special squads comprising Government Railway Police (GRP), Railway Protection Force (RPF), civil defence and commercial staff have been set in motion to prevent carrying inflammable materials in trains, he said.
Random bag checks at the stations and frequent announcements are being done to inform people that no one carries inflammables, firecrackers and the flouting of rules will be met with stringent punishment, Prasad added.
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