Media Release

Udupi, Jun 6: Monsoon is on the verge of onset in the Konkan region. Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) has intensified its safety measures by introducing night patrolling over critical sections and deploying stationary watchmen round-the-clock at vulnerable locations. As part of this enhanced vigilance, a safety seminar on monsoon patrolling, along with a live demonstration of patrolling procedures, was organised at Ratnagiri on June 3 by the Safety Department of KRCL.

Night patrolmen are tasked with carrying out foot patrolling of assigned sections from sunset to sunrise, keeping a close watch for unusual occurrences such as soil slips, boulder falls, track flooding, and other conditions that may affect safe train operations. Any such abnormalities are immediately reported to the nearest station master for prompt action.

Each patrolman is assigned a beat of up to 5 kilometres and is required to exchange a patrol diary with the patrolman covering the adjoining beat. The successful exchange and onward movement of the diary between adjoining stations serves as a vital indication that the section is safe for train operations.

A live demonstration of the patrol diary exchange process was conducted during the seminar. Various emergency scenarios that could hinder the smooth exchange of diaries between stations were simulated, and participants were guided on the actions to be taken by patrolmen under such circumstances.

The session was chaired by Santosh Kumar Jha, chairman and managing director, KRCL, and Rajeev Kumar Mishra, director (Way & Works), addressed the gathering and highlighted the critical role of night patrolling in ensuring the safety of train operations during the monsoon season.

The seminar was attended by senior officials and around 175 participants, including trackmen, patrolmen, watchmen, station masters, supervisors from technical departments, loco pilots, and train managers.

As part of the fire safety drive, a live demonstration on the proper use of fire extinguishers was also conducted to enhance safety awareness among the participants.

The seminar provided an opportunity for participants to enhance their understanding of monsoon patrolling procedures and fire safety practices through practical demonstrations, thereby strengthening operational preparedness and ensuring safer train operations during the monsoon season.