POST DISASTER ACTION PLAN

 INFORMATIONS REGARDING THE DISASTER:

 The Disaster Management Action starts moments after any disaster happens. The information regarding the disaster is therefore of paramount importance. The information can come through following channels/agencies –

1. The SMs/ASMs should immediately inform the Controller regarding any accident after getting information from any source.

2. The train crew (Driver/Guard/Asst.Driver/Asst.Guard) should immediately inform of any disaster or unusual occurrences at mid-section to the Control through the field telephone.

3. The train crew (Driver/Guard/Asst.Driver/Asst.Guard) can also inform the nearest Station Master through the walkie-talkie or through any other means such as sending persons to the stations. The Station Master should in turn pass the information to the Divisional Control.

4. The Gateman at the mid-section should also pass informations of any disaster to the nearest Station Masters or to the Divisional Control through the communication means they are having or by physically going to the nearest station.

5.  Any Railwayman in the train or at the vicinity of disaster should immediately inform nearest Railway station or the Control about it through any means.

6. The private persons (passengers or any other persons at the vicinity) are also likely to inform any disaster to nearest Station Master, Control or to the media.

7.  The informations at the Control can also be received through the "flashes" of the major news channels or through the media persons.

8.  Information can also directly come to the senior officers of railway such as to DRM, ADRM, Sr. DOM, Sr. DCM etc. through telephones.

4.2       ORDERING OF RELIEF TRAINS

 As soon as the information of disaster/accident is received at Control the relief trains (ARME/ART) should be ordered immediately as per the following chart:-

             Any other assistance such as ordering of ARTs (including break down cranes), material trains, labour specials is to be decided by the officer in-charge of the Control depending upon the situation. The detail availability of ARME, ART and Breakdown cranes within and outside the Division are shown in Table 'A' and 'B'.

  SOUNDING OF HOOTERS :-

             The break down hooter is to be sounded for ordering of relief train as per the prescribed code given below:-

OFFICERS AND SUPERVISORS ACCOMPANYING RELIEF TRAIN

            All the nominated officers and staff of the relief trains being ordered should accompany the relief train. In addition following divisional officers should immediately move to the site either by the relief train or through other suitable mode of transport.

 OFFICERS AT THE CONTROL:

            The following officers should rush to the Control for manning the Control

            The senior most officer in the Control will be the officer in-charge of the Control. Sr.DOM will be the in-charge of all activities in running of trains. The officer in-charge of the Control will coordinate with all department of Railway, District and State to ensure timely and smooth rescue, transshipment, transportation and restoration etc.

  IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE FROM STATE GOVT. OFFICIALS

           The machinery of state governments are available at many places and their help is required for getting police clearances etc.. The state governments are also having their own disaster management plans. Therefore, the concerned authorities and local doctors must be immediately informed for getting assistance as per following;

The local assistance should be called for  

• Immediate rescue and evacuation
• Medical assistance at site including ambulances, medicines, first aid facilities etc.
• Sanitation at the site
• Amenities at site such as drinking water, food, Shelter, illumination etc
• Security, law & order and crime control
• Transportation of injured to hospitals
• Identification/ disposal of bodies

Any other assistance from state authorities, Military or paramilitary organizations, District and specialized hospitals will be arranged by the Officer I/C at Control depending on the situation.

 It should however be noted that once the railway relief team arrives the site, all the relief rescue operations are to be done under the supervision of the railway site manager

   MANAGEMENT AT SITE :

 Senior most Railway Officer at the site of accident shall be the site manager. The site manager shall be the overall in-charge of all the relief and rescue operations at the site and he will also be the chief spokesman at the site. He will be assisted by the officers and staff of all the departments present at the accident site for discharging his duties. PR/Commercial department will look after media needs at site.

 The relief and rescue operations will be done by the various departments as per the following:-

a.  Rescue Operation :– Primarily Medical & Mechanical department will organize and all other Railwaymen will assist. There is no need for   seeking the clearance from state police for launching rescue operating for saving as many human life as possible which inter-alia may involve handing/shifting of rolling stock (Locomotives, coaches and wagons) (Ref:- The high level committee report on disaster manager over Indian Railway – April-2003 para 15.).

b.   Relief operations including care of dead :- Medical, Commercial & RPF department.

 c.   Care of passengers and their dispersal/transportation :- Commercial Department.

 d.  Communication :- Sr.DSTE will ensure communication through DOT, STD/ISD, mobile phone & Railway phone. The communication facilities can also be utilized by the passengers for informing their relatives.

 e.   Crowd control and law & order :- RPF Department. DSC will ensure that clues are preserved and not tampered. He will ensure security of passengers and their luggages. He will also ensure law and order in that area.

 f.    State police clearance :- State police clearance required for restoration will be done by DSC and his team.

 g.   Restoration operation :- Concerned Departments :

(i)  Rolling stock – Mechanical

(ii) Track – Engineering

(iii) OHE – Traction Distribution

(iv) Signal – Signalling & Telecommunication.

OPENING OF EMERGENCY COUNTERS/OFFICES :

             Whenever a major accident occurs the emergency counters will be opened as below –

          More number of emergency counters can be opened according to the gravity and place of disaster.

In all above cases commercial control will be the coordinating point which will facilitate exchange of information from various agencies/sites to emergency counters. For this purpose the information from site, normally collected by coaching control should be furnished to commercial control for onward transmission.

 ACCIDENT LOG-BOOK

    Sr.DOM will ensure that Accident Log Book is maintained properly in Control Office. Each and every event is recorded correctly and timely.

REPORTING OF ACCIDENT :

     The accident is to be reported to all concerned including Headquarters by Divisional Control Office. If required, CRS will be informed by DRM.

 TABLE – 'A' : POSITION OF ARME/ART/BREAKDOWN CRANE IN CKP DIVISION

TABLE – 'B': POSITION OF ARME/MFD/CRANE IN ADJOINING RAILWAY/DIVISIONS

Breakdown cranes of following places can be called in case of serious disaster/accidents:-

DHN (E.C. Rly.) - 140T Crane.

KUR (E.C. Rly.) – 140 T Crane.

BIA (S.E.C. Rly.) – 140 T Crane.

ASSISTANCE FROM NEIGHBOURING DIVISIONS:

(High Level Committee on Disaster Management : Recommendation No. 21)

            Whenever number of injuries is estimated to go beyond 50, assistance must be sought for from adjoining Divisions. As a rough thumb rule, the scale of such outside assistance required would be from one division for every 50 additional injuries. However, it may be noted that the recommendations of High Level Committee on Disaster Management suggest only a rough thumb rule and it is upto the discretion of the GMs and DRMs of the zonal Railways/Division to call for additional help based on their assessment of the magnitude of the disaster and the geographical location conditions of the site.

   TIMELY DESPATCH OF ARME/ART/ENGG. MATERIALS :-

To ensure timely despatch of ARME, ART & Engg. Material train –

1.   Sr.DOM/Sr.DME/Sr.DEE(OP) will ensure availability of crew and Guard for ARME/ART in time.

2.  Sr.DOM will ensure immediate nomination of power and if no train power is available Sr.DME/Sr.DEE(OP) will

arrange power from shed.

3.  To take care of OHE breakdown in case of natural calamity like cyclone etc., it is essential that sufficient diesels are provided in electrified territory on daily basis.

4.  Sr.DEN(Co-ord) will ensure that timely information is given to Sr.DOM/ Officer in-charge in Control regarding relief

material for accident site and the detailed programme thereof.

  WITHDRAWAL OF STATION EARNINGS (IRCM Vol. II, para 4425) :

The Station earning can be withdrawn in following cases :-

a)    Payment of ex-gratia to persons involved in accidents

b)    Payment of expenses of special catering in emergent case authorized by an officer.

c)    Payment to casual labour only in emergent cases

d)    Handling charges for transshipment on account of accident or hot axle.

      All commercial inspectors must be fully conversant with the rules for withdrawal of station earnings and the formalities therein.

   PRESERVATION OF CLUES : (Ref : Accident Manual Para 6.14)

a)   Officer or senior subordinate of any department who may happened to be present at the time of an accident took place or who first arrives at the scene of an accident shall, irrespective of whether he is on or off duty, record the statements of the staff concerned and take whatever steps may be necessary to record or preserve evidence which subsequently might not be available. All clues shall be preserved with a view to enabling reconstruction of the scene at a later date. This is essential even though the civil and police officials may have inspected the scene of the accident and photographs may have been taken. For this purpose, the concerned officials shall especially take steps to note the condition and exact position of (i)Vehicles, (ii) Track, (iii) points, (iv) signals, (v) levers operating the points and signals, (vi) Breakage of axle, spring locking bolt and cotter etc. (vii) Any obstruction, (viii) Any tampering, (ix) Engine and its speed recorder, etc. This should be done before commencement of actual restoration operation.

b)   A complete and accurate dimensioned sketch of the accident showing the position of vehicles and their condition, permanent way including any detached damaged components, should be made out by the engineering officials and signed by the Senior Engineering and Operating officials of the Railway as also by the Senior Police officials present. In the case of any signal or level crossing at the site of the accident, a detail position of the same should also be indicated in the sketch. For this purpose, a complete rough sketch should immediately be drawn after the accident by the Engineering official and before any disturbance to the vehicles and track etc. Dubbers of all signals, indicators, brake van lamps should be touched to feel whether it is warm or cold in the cases of such lamps were found extinguished.

            c)   In case of sabotage and suspected sabotage, every possible action shall be taken to ensure that any finger prints or foot prints observed at the site of accident are not obliterated. Action shall also be taken to note and preserve the foot prints and finger prints carefully for further necessary action.

d) Statements of responsible passengers or eye-witness with their names and addresses who may have witnessed the scene of accident should be recorded which may have a bearing on the cause of the accident afterwards when an officers bring out any noteworthy points. These statements should be signed jointly by the passenger/eye-witness, Railway Official and Civil or Police authority.

                e) The Railway Official/Inspectors/Supervisors who may happen to be present at site at the time of accident or who arrives at the site of accident, shall also scrutinize, the train register/log book, station diary, line clear message book, private number book, caution order, line admission book, etc. and initial them with date and time indicating the irregularities noticed. In the cases where these records are connected with cause of the accident, immediate action must be taken to seize the relevant records and seal. In cases where defects of any instruments or/and interlocking gear may have caused or contributed to an accident, the instrument or/and interlocking gear concerned shall be sealed and not be opened/used except on the authority of the Divisional Railway Manager or his duly authorized representative.

                f) In cases of serious accidents with loss of human life or grievous hurt, the restoration work should normally be limited to the removal of dead bodies and injured persons from the debris, if any, and wherever possible communication may be restored by laying a diversion, if it is expected that the Commissioner of Railway Safety may have the benefit of personal examination of the site of accident undisturbed. In any individual case where circumstances compel the removal of debris, in a part or whole before the arrival of the Commissioner of Railway Safety at site, complete and detailed notes should be recorded by the senior most officer present, of the observation made by the officers of the various department concerned, before issuing such order. The notes should be given to the Commissioner of Railway Safety on arrival. All sleeper, rails, vehicles in part or whole and other fittings removed from the site under the emergent circumstances should be carefully preserved for inspection by the Commissioner of Railway Safety. In such cases, telephone permission of CRS should be obtained to start the restoration work.

                 g) Wherever possible, photographs of the wreckage shall be taken which may afford the clue to the cause of the accident. For this purpose, the procedure laid down in para 7.05 of the Accident Manual should be followed.

                h) In all cases of derailments the marks on the wheels of engine and/or vehicles and marks on the permanent way (rail sleepers, fish plates etc.) in respect of the wheels mounting on and dropping from the rails, the wheels riding on the ballast, etc. shall be especially looked for and recorded. The position of rails, sleepers, fish plates, fish bolts, nuts, etc. which bear marks as a result of the accident, especially between the point of mount and drop shall be marked and numbered serially with chalk or paint and carefully preserved. Any defects and damages to rolling stock shall be examined in details and recorded immediately after the accident as also the details of the loads i.e. weight, contents evenly or unevenly loaded etc.

                i) Any engine, vehicle or other material involved in an accident which is likely to be required for exhibition before any higher officials or enquiry committee must be set apart and must on no account be utilized for the purpose of working of the Railway, till it is examined by the said official.

  j) Speed recorded in the locomotive should be examined including its chart. The same may be seized with the signature of the driver at the reverse of the chart.

                k) In case of serious fire accident in train, after the fire is put out the affected coaches/wagons or the portion of the Railway property which caught fire should be preserved carefully for inspection by Forensic Scientist

        The Railway Officials/Inspectors/Supervisors who may happen to be present at the time of accident or who arrive first at the site of accident shall see that the fire is completely put out and nothing which can lead to provide evidence for the cause of fire including affected coaches/wagons is disturbed. However, the coaches/wagons may be drawn out from the site cautiously, if position permits in order to clear the obstructed section and be kept on the siding nearest to the accident spot with the permission of the competent authority.

                l) One photographer with camera and necessary equipments should form integral part of the group of staff who accompany the ARME and ART in case of an accident on short notice. All possible action is taken for preservation of the clues in order to enable reconstructing of scene of accident with reliability

   VIDEO COVERAGE AT ACCIDENT SITE

            (Ref – Ministry's letter No.98/Safety-1/6/1 dated 01.8.98)

       The Commission of Railway Safety, Central circle, vide his Preliminary Report on Derailment of 1034 Up Pushpak Express between Ata and Orai stations of Jhansi-Kanpur section of Jhansi Division of Central Railway, has recommended that Central Railway Administration should issue instructions to all Divisions that prior to undertaking restoration measures at an accident sites, suitable video film coverage should be arranged, if feasible.

    In the event of any serious accident taking place at the site, video coverage may be done as advised by CRS, Central Circle, subject to the availability of the facility. For this purpose, wherever necessary, video cameras may be taken on hire. All DRMs may suitably be advised accordingly.

 SUPPLY OF REFRESHMENTS, FOOD AND BEVERAGES TO THE PASSENGERS AND STAFF AT THE SITE OF ACCIDENT.

 (Ref – Accident Manual para 6.15)

a) Refreshment, food and beverages may be supplied free of charges to the affected passengers in an accident, either they are injured, uninjured or stranded at the site of accident or at stations where they are shifted for further action. These may be arranged from the Railway and/or outside sources as necessary.

b)The Senior Divisional Commercial Manager or in his absence Divisional/Assistant Commercial Manager will be responsible to take all necessary action from any sources for the purpose mentioned in para (a) above. The station catering officials vendors should be called for assistance whenever required.

c)Supply of free refreshments, food and beverages to the injured/uninjured passengers of the affected train should be made at a reasonable scale.

d)The Senior most Officer at site shall have the powers (i) to arrange conveyance for the affected passengers free of charge and by any available mode of transport and (ii) also to incur expenditure if necessary for supplying free food to the injured and uninjured passengers and carriage of passengers luggage etc.

e) A proper accountal should be kept of the expenditure incurred duly supported by the vouchers to enable post-audit of the same after the event is over a statement of the expenditure incurred should be signed and put up by the authorized officer to the Divisional Railway Manager within a period of one month after the accident for his sanction duly post-audited with reference to the funds provided for on this account as also the supporting vouchers for the expenditure incurred. In case any specific area where glaring instance of excess expenditure in comparision to the event is observed, it should be specifically brought to the notice of the Division Railway Manager so that corrective action for non-recurrence of such a situation in future, is taken. The General Manager will lay down, in consultation with the FA & CAO, from time to time, the overall limits for the purpose of sanctioning of expenditure, beyond which specific sanction of the General Manager with finance concurrence may have to be obtained for regularizing expenditure after the event of such cases. The post-audit report should incorporate the various aspects of item-wise  report and observations of Senior DFM/DFM and clarification of the authorized officer for sanction by the competent authority. The check note of the Sr.DFM/DFM should indicate theextent of check that was possible with reference to vouchers submitted.

(f) Free food will also be supplied to the staff, including officers, engaged in restoration operation at the site of accident and under supervision of a responsible official. Where free food is supplied, payment of diet allowance is not permissible. However, no special arrangements will be made for officer separately nor will cash reimbursement in lieu of free food be permissible. Proper accountal should also be kept by the official arranging food and put up to the competent authority for post-facto sanction. Other necessary facilities required for the staff engaged in restoration may be extended to them for smooth operation of restoration work.

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