Special safety audit done along Vizag-Bobbili section
As part of the inter-zonal safety audit, a special audit team conducting an audit along the Visakhapatnam–Bobbili section
safety parameters at major stations and level crossings
Visakhapatnam: In order to review and assess various safety parameters at major stations and level crossings, a special safety audit team from Northeast Frontier Railway, Maligaon (Guwahati) conducted an extensive audit on the Visakhapatnam–Bobbili section.
Led by Uttam Prakash, principal chief safety officer, the inter-zonal safety audits are being conducted regularly by multidisciplinary teams of senior railway officers to ensure strict compliance with safety norms and effective implementation of all rules and guidelines governing safe train operations. During the inspection, the team examined curve No. 8 between PDT–KTV (Km 855.236 to 855), Kothavalasa station yard, including its points and crossings, the major bridge between Alamanda–Korukonda on the middle line, engineering-operated level crossing gate between Komatipalli–Donkinavalasa, Bobbili station and its relay room, Komatipalli yard, Traction Sub-Station at Komatipalli, level crossing Gate RV-323. Also, coaching crew lobby, accident relief medical equipment van at Visakhapatnam, accident relief train, new coaching complex, running room, and the route relay interlocking cabin in Visakhapatnam were inspected.
Along with Uttam Prakash, the audit team comprised Atul Rane, chief passenger traffic manager; Ranjan Behra, chief communication engineer; Satish Chandra Prasad, chief rolling stock engineer (Coaching), Bharat Lal Meena, chief general engineer, Debjit Mishra, chief electrical loco engineer, and other branch officers of Waltair Division. Divisional Railway Manager Lalit Bohra interacted with the audit team and reviewed the safety observations. He stated that such periodical inter-zonal inspections serve as an effective mechanism to evaluate safety performance, identify systemic deficiencies and recommend corrective measures.
Zonal Railways submit their audit reports followed by action-taken reports to the ministry of railways, which are subsequently analysed by the railway board to frame necessary directives for continual improvement in safety standards.
