“This is wrong. There is a huge gap between your (official) reports and the reports of people here. How many months will it take you to achieve your goal of providing lightweight tools to everyone? … Within six months, all of you across the country will get them, and within six to eight months, you will also get gauge measuring tools,” Vishno said, drawing applause from railway employees who play a vital role in the safe operation of trains.
The minister told track maintainers that the safety of passengers and rail workers remains the government’s primary concern and that a number of measures have been taken to successfully reduce the number of accidents and fatalities. Vishno said the railroad developed a mobile app that can more accurately update and alert track crews of approaching trains to prevent accidents. He added that the app has been in testing for more than 18 months and will soon be available to all track staff.
“The reliability of getting updates through a mobile phone system is much higher than VHF-based devices. Everyone working on the track will get the app to ensure personal safety. If you are safe, the railway is safe,” the minister said.
Vaishnaw promises complete modernization of track maintenance in the next 7-8 years and soon track workers will get torque machines to replace heavy hammers. Currently, they need to carry these heavy loads and travel long distances to maintain the tracks.
The All India Railway Federation (AIRF), which hosted the conference to advocate for the safety and welfare of over 2.5 lakh workers, said it was committed to two things: safety in railway operations and care for track workers.