Violators, be careful! Indian Railways launches drive against smoking & carriage of inflammable material

Massive drive launched by Indian Railways against smoking and carriage of inflammable material! The step has been taken by the national transporter in the view of fire incidents across various zonal railways, resulting in loss of property and danger to life. Of this, few incidents appeared to have been occurred due to smoking onboard or transportation of inflammable items by the train. In order to curb such incidents, a massive drive has been launched against smoking and carriage of inflammable material through Indian Railways, from 22 March 2021 with legal action from 31 March 2021. This newly launched drive may be continued till 30 April 2021, the Railway Ministry said. The zonal railways have been instructed to take the following measures in mission mode:

Intensive Awareness Drive: A 7-day intensive awareness drive may be launched to educate all the stakeholders i.e. railway users and railway or non railway staff working in trains and at stations like parcel staff, lease holders and their employees, catering staff, parcel porters, those engaged through outsourcing among others. The drive aims to educate them about precautions that are to be taken against fire incidents such as preventing carriage of inflammable material through rail, enforcing “No Smoking”, checking VPUs/SLRs/Leased parcels against inflammable materials’ transportation, etc. It involves raising awareness through direct interaction, distribution of pamphlets, leaflets, conducting Nukkad Nataks, pasting of stickers, announcement through PA System at railway stations, advertisement in print, social media and electronic media, etc.

After the awareness drive, an intensive and sustained drive should be launched for:

• Conduct an intensive drive against smoking in railway premises and trains and those who violate may be booked under the Railways Act or Tobacco Act’s relevant provisions. To act under the provisions of Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003, an officer not below the rank of commercial department’s ticket collector or an officer whose rank is equivalent to that of operating department or an officer not below the rank of ASI in Railway Protection Force have been notified as competent.
• Checks may be conducted in trains regularly against carriage of inflammable and explosive goods, including pantry cars, and under relevant sections of Railways Act, violators may be booked.
• Also, checks may be undertaken in platforms, washing/sick lines, yards, stables coaches to check cases of lighting fire, collection of inflammable debris, using sigri for cooking food among others, regularly. The fueling points, under these checks, may be covered as well. Against the culprits, legal action may be taken.
• To curb chances of booking of inflammable and explosives material, Checking may be done on parcels booked through Parcel offices/leaseholders.
• Action may also be taken against authorized or unauthorized vendors using sigri/stoves in train and at station platforms.