Kolkata : Sealdah Division, Eastern Railway, organized a comprehensive safety seminar titled “Precautions During Winter Season” on November 3, 2025, at Manthan, Sealdah. The seminar was chaired by Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Sealdah, Rajeev Saxena, and attended by Additional Divisional Railway Managers (ADRMs) along with senior branch officers including Sr. DSO, Sr. DEN/C, Sr. DSTE, Sr. DEE/TRD, Sr. DOM, and Sr. DEE/OP.
Over 170 staff members — including Senior Supervisors, Traffic Inspectors (TIs), Station Masters (SMs), Loco Pilot Passengers (LPPs), Assistant Loco Pilots (ALPs), Track Maintainers (TMs), and Maintainers — participated in this interactive session. The seminar focused on ensuring smooth and safe train operations despite reduced visibility during winter and foggy conditions.
Key Safety Measures Discussed
1. Signal Visibility:
To ensure safe train passage in dense fog, Sealdah Division emphasized maintaining clear signal visibility. Signal lights are being checked for peak brightness, with modern LED systems increasingly in use. Signal Sighting Boards and W/L Boards are being inspected for proper positioning and reflectivity, with luminous paints and strips applied to enhance driver visibility even in the densest fog.
2. Safer Level Crossings:
Special focus is being given to Level Crossing (LC) gates. Barriers are being marked with retro-reflective tapes and yellow/black luminous strips to improve visibility. Hooters are being tested to ensure that motorists and pedestrians receive adequate warnings even in low-visibility conditions.
3. Track Protection:
Given that low temperatures can cause rail brittleness, special patrolmen are deployed from 22:00 hrs to 06:00 hrs daily to monitor tracks for possible fractures or weld issues. Equipped with GPS trackers, retro-reflective jackets, and triple torches, they patrol 4 km on single-line sections and 2 km on double-line sections. Their movement is monitored through GPS and verified by surprise checks from officers to ensure safe train movement.
4. Fog Signal Posts and Detonators:
Fog signal posts are being erected or marked to alert loco pilots effectively during dense fog situations.
5. Speed Restrictions:
Necessary speed restrictions are being implemented during foggy conditions to ensure operational safety.
DRM’s Remarks
Speaking on the occasion, DRM Sealdah, Rajeev Saxena, said: “Safety is our paramount concern, especially as we approach the challenging winter season with dense fog. This seminar provided a vital platform to proactively review and reinforce our operating procedures. I commend the dedication of our staff members whose vigilance and adherence to protocols ensure the continued safe movement of trains for both passengers and freight.”
