Piyush Goyal empowers Railway GMs to spend necessary amount on safety

Mumbai (Maharshtra) [India], Sept 30 (ANI): In the wake of Friday's stampede at Elphinstone Road station, Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday empowered the Railways' General Managers to spend whatever is necessary on safety.

Goyal took this decision while chairing a meeting with the senior officers of the Railway Board at Western Railways headquarters at Churchgate. Various major decisions were taken in the meeting, wherein passenger safety has been accorded the highest priority.

For next 18 months, General Managers of Railway zones have been delegated powers without limit for Safety related issues. They shall intimate Financial Commissioner (FC) within a week of sanction for provision, and FC shall confirm the same within 15 days. In case of disagreement, the matter shall be put up to the Railway Board for final decision within the same 15 days.

"To eliminate bureaucracy and delays, I have empowered GMs to spend whatever is necessary on safety," Piyush Goyal tweeted.

To eliminate bureaucracy and delays, I have empowered GMs to spend whatever is necessary on safety.

— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) September 30, 2017

Another important decision has been taken in view of the enhancing passenger safety.

Within the next 15 months, CCTV cameras will be installed in all suburban trains in Mumbai with monitoring mechanism. This shall be done in parallel across India as well.

Goyal informed this in another tweet: "Within the next 15 months, CCTV cameras in all suburban trains in Mumbai with monitoring mechanism. Parallel work across India."

Within the next 15 months, CCTV cameras in all suburban trains in Mumbai with monitoring mechanism. Parallel work across India.

— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) September 30, 2017

In order to enhance safety and efficiency, it was decided in the meeting that 40 yards across India will be upgraded with an investment of Rs 1000 Cr including 8 yards in Mumbai region.

"To enhance safety and efficiency, 40 yards across India will be upgraded with an investment of Rs 1000 Cr including 8 yards in Mumbai region," Goyal tweeted.

To enhance safety and efficiency, 40 yards across India will be upgraded with an investment of Rs 1000 Cr including 8 yards in Mumbai region

— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) September 30, 2017

Goyal ordered planning of additional foot overbridges at stations where passenger traffic is high.

Now, it has also been decided that Foot Over Bridges (FOBs), platforms and pathways on platform end to be treated as Safety items having highest priority with no restriction of budget. Earlier only the first FOB at a station was considered as essential and subsequent as passenger amenity.

Additional Escalators have been sanctioned at stations of the Mumbai Suburban system having high footfall with the details to be finalised within 15 days. Similar exercise will be carried out for all high use stations all over India.

Goyal also directed that 200 officers should be relocated from Head Quarters as in field to strengthen ground operations and project implementation.

"200 officers to be relocated from Head Quarters as field staff to strengthen ground operations and project implementation," Goyal tweeted.

Apart from this, brilliant & enthusiastic station directors are being posted at 75 stations all over India to bring dynamism in operations.

On Friday, 22 people were killed and over 30 injured in stampede on a narrow foot-over-bridge that connects the Elphinstone Road station on the Western Railway to Parel on the Central line.

The death toll increased to 23 after a person succumbed to injury on Saturday.

Ashwani Lohani - Chairman, Railway Board and all railway board members were present in this meeting along with A. K. Gupta-General Manager of Western Railway and D. K. Sharma-General Manager of Central Railway and security officials of the Maharashtra Government. (ANI)