GUWAHATI: In view of importance given to safety of train movement, there has been no consequential train accident during the year 2020-21, NF railway authorities said.
“It can be mentioned that last year was also an accident-free year for NFR. This has been possible due to overall emphasis given to maintenance and health of all train operations related infrastructure,” chief PRO Subhanan Chanda said. He added, “Track is the most important aspect for safe movement of trains. As a result movement, wear and tear of tracks is bound to occur and renewal and replacement of components are indispensable.”
The CPRO informed that during the current year (till October 2020), 73.68 CTR units of track renewal, which includes changing of rails and sleepers, have been done against 64.85 CTR units done up to October, 2019 — an increase of 13.62%.
To detect un-seen fracture of railway tracks which might lead to accidents, ultrasound testing is done by machine (also known as USFD testing). “USFD testing of 1,762.31 km has been done during October 2020 as against 1,368.54 km done in the corresponding time last year. That is an increase of about 28.77%. Deep screening , which is cleaning of ballast that lies beneath the railway track was done for 46 turnouts during the month of October 2020 against 12 turnouts done during October 2019,” he said. He added that 10 bridges have been rehabilitated during the month of October making a cumulative progress of 48 during the current year. “NF Railway has also completed 2,746 numbers of flash butt welding of rail joints during October,” he said.