Collisions have reduced 100 per cent, i.e. zero collision took place during this year as compared to one last year.
The main highlight of the safety measures adopted this year is that no fire or collision accident took place during the foggy weather which had an extended period of one and a half months this year as against 2 accidents last year that were caused in the NCR. The indicative accidents were reduced to 2 during 2010-11 as against 5 that took place during 2009-10 while the passenger casualty/injury was zero as against 4 passenger injuries last year. Safety performance of Northern Railway has shown improvement in the yard and siding accidents, which has reduced by 10% this year over last year.
Also, the average time taken in completion of accident enquiries has significantly reduced from an average of 31 days in 2009-10 to an average of 25 days during 2010-11.There is further improvement in the average no of days per enquiry. The same has reduced to 10.1 days in 7 cases dealt during Dec-March this year. Deterrent punishment has been imposed on staff for the failures and 18 staff found responsible were dismissed/removed/compulsorily retired during 2010-11.
The check-up of safety measures by senior railway officers has been intensified. There were as many as 3850 inspections by divisional officers as compared to 3670 during 2009-10.In 2010-11 safety officers conducted over 1500 inspections against the target of 660 and safety counsellors conducted 5000 inspections against the target of 2750.
Special efforts were made to reduce the time of restoration of through traffic after accidents during 2010-11.In some of the recent accident cases total time for restoration of thorough traffic was reduced between two hours to five hours only.
Overall 200 ambush checks were conducted, 343 inspections of running rooms and lobbies undertaken, 166 safety drives launched, 81 safety seminars held, 139 safety meetings organized and 95 safety audits were conducted.
Intensive counselling and monitoring of running and station staff was undertaken and a total of 9326 staffs were counselled.
The various safety measures adopted during the year 2010-11 like intensive public awareness campaign inclusive of sending 12.9 crore SMSs as against 6 crores last year, 65 un-manned crossings were manned during 2010-11 and 19 level crossing have been closed, 94 level crossings have been interlocked, 3 Road Over Bridge, 3 Road Under Bridge and one normal height subway has been constructed. The result being that there has been 53% reduction in accidents at unmanned level crossings (UMLC).During the year 2010-11 there were 7 accidents as compared to 15 in 2009-10 in UMLC, said a spokesman.