NEW DELHI: In a series of directions to improve safety and passenger amenities, railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw instructed top officials on Monday to review specifications, installation and maintenance practices of safety-related items to improve their reliability. He also directed railways catering wing, IRCTC, and its agencies to complete upgradation of its kitchens at 1,000 locations in the next six months and deep cleaning of pantry cars and storage areas in mission mode.
The minister’s direction for deep cleaning and including this in the regular maintenance schedule comes at a time when there have been some complaints against quality and hygiene of food delivered to passengers, including in Vande Bharat trains.
Sources said the instructions were issued at a review meeting Vaishnaw chaired with all members of the railway board, general managers and divisional railway managers (DRMs). “It was decided that the specifications, installation practices and maintenance practices of all key safety-related equipment would be reviewed. This would be done in workshops to be organised by the RDSO with all the manufacturers,” said an official.
He added that IRCTC and its agencies have been asked to complete the upgradation of base kitchens at 1,000 locations “on a war footing”. The minister also directed officials to improve water availability and cleaning of trains during journey. “The time required for cleaning and watering will be factored in the time tables for this crucial activity,” a source said.
Last week Vaishnaw had instructed officials to expedite deployment of Kavach system and take this up in a planned manner in mission mode. TOI has learnt that the railway ministry informed the cabinet secretary on Friday that the national transporter will bring 40,000 km under Kavach in the next five years. Kavach is an automatic train protection system that can prevent train collisions on the same track.
The minister’s direction for deep cleaning and including this in the regular maintenance schedule comes at a time when there have been some complaints against quality and hygiene of food delivered to passengers, including in Vande Bharat trains.
Sources said the instructions were issued at a review meeting Vaishnaw chaired with all members of the railway board, general managers and divisional railway managers (DRMs). “It was decided that the specifications, installation practices and maintenance practices of all key safety-related equipment would be reviewed. This would be done in workshops to be organised by the RDSO with all the manufacturers,” said an official.
He added that IRCTC and its agencies have been asked to complete the upgradation of base kitchens at 1,000 locations “on a war footing”. The minister also directed officials to improve water availability and cleaning of trains during journey. “The time required for cleaning and watering will be factored in the time tables for this crucial activity,” a source said.
Last week Vaishnaw had instructed officials to expedite deployment of Kavach system and take this up in a planned manner in mission mode. TOI has learnt that the railway ministry informed the cabinet secretary on Friday that the national transporter will bring 40,000 km under Kavach in the next five years. Kavach is an automatic train protection system that can prevent train collisions on the same track.
