ISLAMABAD, Mar 11 (APP):Pakistan Railways punished as many as 1,218 staffers who were found guilty of different train accidents across the country from 2003 to 2018. According to available official document, during these years, the department removed 24 officials from service, 16 staffers were dismissed from service, 36 persons compulsory retired from service, 189 persons were demoted, 723 officials were punished with withholding of increment, 171 persons censured, 45 issued …
Railways punish 1,218 staffers for train accidents
ISLAMABAD, Mar 11 (APP):Pakistan Railways punished as many as 1,218 staffers who were found guilty of different train accidents across the country from 2003 to 2018.
According to available official document, during these years, the department removed 24 officials from service, 16 staffers were dismissed from service, 36 persons compulsory retired from service, 189 persons were demoted, 723 officials were punished with withholding of increment, 171 persons censured, 45 issued warning while 14 staffers expired.
To control the train derailments and accidents, Pakistan Railways was going to up-grade unmanned and vulnerable railway level crossings across the country in collaboration with respective provincial governments.
Timely refresher courses and safety seminars were also being arranged to enhance the professional knowledge of the staff and auto train protection system was also underway to minimize such accidents as this system applies brake automatically if the drivers of train fail to respond to red signal.
According to guidelines, a professional knowledge testing schedule should be observed after every six months for drivers particularly of Multan, Lahore, Sukkur, and Karachi divisions working with auto block signaling, the document said.
Joint certificate to this effect would be issued by the Divisional Signal Engineer and Divisional Mechanical Engineer certifying competency of driver especially regarding the knowledge of auto block signaling.
Road surface of all level crossings was being improved together with improved warning boards and provision of reliable communication (VHF radio) between ground staff and locomotives crew.
The Directorate of Public Relations had produced video messages for circulations over social media to inform the public about the dangers associated with railway crossings, it said.
Pakistan Railways was going to eliminate all level crossings on Main Line-I (Karachi to Peshawar) by providing under passes and flyovers under China-Pak Economic Corridor (CPEC).
