Railway station gets foot-operated handwash machine for goods train staff

RAHUL TAWAR | TNN | Updated: Apr 15, 2020, 11:24 IST

LUDHIANA: In a crucial step to ensure the safety of drivers and guards of goods train which are ferrying essential commodities to different states, Northern Railway has installed a foot pedal operated handwash machine, which will help the on-duty railway staff of goods trains to wash their hands and face with liquid soaps without touching any surface.
This is for the first time in the northern region that the Railways has installed such a unique machine to resolve the issue of maintaining proper hygiene among the driver community and contributing their best in the battle against coronavirus.
The Railways have made this machine operational in the new running room at the city station, where almost every train driver and guard stays after bringing their good trains here for further loading and unloading process. Earlier, the train drivers had to face several difficulties in maintaining proper hygienic after finishing their long hours of duty.
Apart from that, the Railways has been providing all essential medical logistic to all on-duty officials of train traffic management department, who are working for smooth functioning of the goods trains. It has also increased the number of goods trains after the country-wide lockdown has been enforced for fulfilling the need of essential commodities in different states of the country.
As per the detail,s more than 15-20 goods trains have been passing through the city railway station on regular basis while carrying the essential commodities in huge amounts. For continuing such massive transportation service, a large number of drivers have been pitched in by the railway authorities but after this development the safety issues of the driving community will be taken care of so that they can continue with their work without any safety thoughts.
Giving more information on this development project, divisional railway manager Rajesh Agarwal said, “With a view to preventing the railway employees from the attack of coronavirus, which has created havoc across the globe, a foot pedal operated hand wash machine has been installed at new model running room to ensure their safety. This machine will play a crucial role in restricting the impact of Covid-19 in the driver community.
He said, “This machine will help employees deployed on the duty of goods trains to wash their hands with liquid soap without touching any surface. This mechanism enables to use water tap and a liquid soap dispenser without hand contact. It is operated by foot pedals. This hand-free mechanism is installed in the wash basin of the running room.”
“This machine is specifically made to strengthen the safety cover of drivers as they have to run the same engine for long hours for taking essential goods to designated places and so they have to face several challenges for protecting themselves from coronavirus,” told DRM.
On the other hand, driver and guard community have hailed the initiative of installing such machines at running room of the city station. A train driver, Dharshan Singh, said, “We are happy over the railway authorities move of installing foot operated hand wash machine for guards and drivers. I will like an appeal before the higher authorities that they also ensure proper sanitisation of the engine room of goods trains on regular basis as several drives have to make the use of single engine while running the goods trains.”
“After the lock-down imposed in the country, the responsibilities of loco-drivers have increased to make their trains reach the designated stations on time,” he added.