Mumbai News: No Fire Safety In Local Trains, Reveals CCRS Annual Report

In its 2021-22 annual report, the Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety (CCRS) has drawn attention to the concerning state of fire safety measures in Indian Railways, especially in local trains. In a report, the CCRS revealed the absence of fire detection and suppression systems in trains, posing a significant risk to the safety of millions of passengers.

Fire Detection Systems' Installation Underway

When queried about the issue, a senior rail official said fire detection and suppression systems are not available in MEMU (Mainline Electric Multiple Unit) and EMU trains that are efficient for short distances. He added that the authorities concerned are working on it. Similarly, a Western Railway official also said that work of the installation of fire detection systems in local trains is underway.

Mumbai Local Trains Lack Vital Fire Safety Features

The Mumbai suburban system, alone, caters to approx. 70 lakh passengers. Despite this heavy congestion, local train coaches lack vital fire safety features such as heat and smoke detectors in passenger areas. The CCRS stressed on the urgent need for installation of fire safety equipment along with an interface to the train's main control panel that would trigger an immediate power supply disconnection upon smoke detection.

The report further highlighted critical areas within local trains such as electrical cubicles and panel rooms, which remain devoid of smoke cum heat detectors. The report proposed the installation of optical fibre-based linear heat detectors in these vulnerable areas to prevent fire incidents.

Current Provision Inadequate

Pointing out that the current provision of fire extinguishers solely in the motorman/guard cabs is inadequate, the report strongly recommended equipping all trains with automatic fire suppression system, which would promptly detect fires at their incipient stages. It was also suggested to install CCTV cameras in trains to ascertain the cause of the fire if it occurs. To protect the recorded footage, storage devices similar to the black boxes used in airplanes were recommended.

Passenger activist Samir Zaveri asserted that the railway authorities should prioritise swift adoption of these recommendations to ensure the safety of several lakh passengers.