Installation of device to detect wiring faults, relocation of emergency alarm buttons to make them more accessible, and use of fire-survival cables: These were some of the recommendations recently made by the Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety (CCRS) while giving the ambitious Vande Bharat sleeper train a go-ahead.
Now, the Railway Board has asked the Research Design & Standard Organisation (RDSO) to look into the recommendations for improvement in the train to make it safer and comfortable for passengers.
The board has also granted various zonal railways the sanction to introduce 16-car Vande Bharat sleeper rakes with a maximum speed of 160 kmph.
While granting approval to the sleeper train in September, the CCRS, a railway safety audit body under the Ministry of Civil Aviation that authorises the operation of new train services, had directed several improvements to enhance passenger safety.
According to the Railway Board’s communication on Tuesday, the CCRS has said that for all future variants of Vande Bharat trainsets, standard specifications shall be prepared by RDSO. A key highlight of the CCRS’s suggestions was to explore the implementation of Arc Fault Detection Device (AFDD), which was part of the recommendation of investigation into the November 2023 fire that broke out in a coach of a Darbhanga-bound train (02570) at Sarai Bhopat Railway station in Uttar Pradesh. The report also highlighted the need to relocate the air-conditioning duct in the First AC coaches, currently provided in the corner of the floor. Similarly, it said that the emergency alarm buttons, seen hidden behind upper berth connector consoles, must be shifted to a more visible and easily reachable location for passengers.
The CCRS has emphasised the use of fire-survival cables for systems such as CCTV and the Crash Hardened Memory Module (CHMM) to avoid fire incidents.
