MALDA DIVISION CONDUCTS MOCK DRILL EXERCISE ON RESCUE AND RELIEF OPERATIONS AT JAMALPUR
Reporter - Shahid Alam
As a part of Malda Division’s endeavour to augment the ability of disaster management, Safety Department of Malda Division under the guidance of *Shri B.B.P.Kushwaha,Senior Divisional safety Officer(Sr.DSO)/Malda,* organized a full scale mock drill in collaboration with National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) at Jamalpur Railway Station yard on Friday (22.11.2024) aimed at enhancing the readiness and coordination among various agencies involved in emergency rescue operation during train accidents.
The two-hour long mock drill was supervised by *Shri Manish Kumar Gupta, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Malda Division.*
As a part of the drill, Train No. 00343 DN Jamalpur (JMP) – Bhagalpur (BGP) Special Passenger Train departed from Jamalpur got derailed artificially by 02 coaches at about 12.00 hrs and completely capsized near jamalpur yard and an alert was sounded. On hearing the siren, officials from various departments swung into rescue operation. The information was communicated to the authorities concerned and the NDRF was alerted. All concerned departments have been alerted, and prompt measures have been initiated to manage the situation.
Enquiry booths and help desks were set up at Jamalpur Station Yard. A Self-Propelled Accident Relief Medical Van (SPARMV) and an Accident Relief Train (ART) were immediately dispatched from Jamalpur to the accident site. Officials from the Safety, Operating, Mechanical, Engineering, Electrical, Security, and Commercial departments, along with Civil Defence organization members, state government officials, RPF, GRP, Bharat Scouts and Guides, and staff from Malda Division, participated in the joint mock drill operations. In total, about 100 railway staff took part in this large-scale exercise.
The rescue teams worked together in evacuating passengers from the “derailed coaches”. The Railway rescue team and NDRF personnel displayed their expertise by cutting through the derailed coaches to evacuate the trapped passengers. A temporary medical camp was set up by the railway medical team at the “accident site” and provided first aid and medical care to the “injured” passengers and moved them through ambulances.
Speaking on the occasion, DRM/Malda stated that this full-scale mock drill was organized in cooperation with the NDRF team. The scenario simulated a derailment involving two coaches, with one coach overlapping onto another to create a more challenging situation. The exercise aimed to evaluate the railways' preparedness and identify gaps in training. He emphasized the importance of addressing these gaps to improve response times and enhance the skills of railway staff. He further added that the first hour, often referred to as the "golden hour," is critical for saving lives. The drill focused on prompt action and demonstrated the effectiveness of the railway staff support system in managing emergencies.
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