Dimapur, June 2 (EMN): The Northeast Frontier Railway (NF) has launched a 30 days safety drive specially targeting safety at manned and unmanned level crossing. An update from the NF Railway on Saturday stated that the stress is on ensuring availability of full complement of equipments, speed breakers, whistle boards, smooth approach roads, road signs and stop boards, availability of electronic power supply, and adequate visibility to be thoroughly scrutinized for both train drivers and road users at the level crossings.
According to the update, the NF Railway has a large number of manned and unmanned level crossings. Although standard protocols of safety are followed at all level crossings, they are the most vulnerable areas of the zone as far as safety is concerned. Counselling of road users and all railway staff who are directly or indirectly involved with the operation of level crossing is an important focus area of the railway. All the divisions are organizing public awareness campaigns to educate and counsel road users by distributing posters, pamphlets, handbills, and such, in gram panchayats, markets, petrol pumps, and other public places. Short message service alerts for awareness to road users are also being sent.
Campaigns are also being carried out through various media including newspapers, televisions, radio, cinema halls, and loudspeakers mounted on rickshaws in order to appeal all the road users to observe all precautions embodied in motor vehicles act and railway act. Divisions are also organising safety seminars, street play and such, at various places in the divisions including road transport offices and educational institutions. Various departments’ officers and staffs are involved in all these activities. Joint ambush checks involving Railway Protection Force, Government Railway Police, and civil authorities are been carried out at the level crossings for apprehending errant road users under sections of motor vehicles act, the update added.
