RAILWAY SAMACHAR

Mumbai Local Train Motormen

Flout Safety Norms

Lazy motormen often tie the mike around the speed handle, while train is in motion -- a gross safety violation

Mumbai : 'Keep your weight on the Dead Man's Handle, or the wheels won't hold the rail, keep your weight on the Dead Man's Handle, or the steam brake's bound to fail' sung Richard Thompson. However, these lyrics should be repeated often to the motormen of local trains in Mumbai.

The motormen of local trains have been flouting safety norms by locking the Dead Man's Handle (alternatively called the master controller) with a flexible mike (which is part of the communication system) so that they don't have to constantly hold it while the train is in motion

Dangerous

Placing their comfort over safety, the motorman locks the Dead Man's Handle, so that he can rest, as the train will run at a constant speed on its own. However, this practise is highly dangerous. If a motorman dies or faints in his cabin, there is every possibility that an accident could take place.

In the old-model trains, motormen used a piece of paper to lock the Dead Man's Handle.

Guidelines

According to guidelines, when the train is in motion or halts at any station, the motorman should hold the Dead Man's Handle with his right hand, and the left should be on the brakes. It has been found that motormen flout these safety norms on a regular basis.

What is a dead man's handle

A Dead Man's Handle is alternatively termed as the master controller. The Dead Man's Handle functions as an accelerator and brake. For braking, the Dead Man's Handle or the lever should be pulled towards the motorman and for acceleration it should be pushed up. The Dead Man's Handle is a safety feature, which automatically brings the train to a halt if the motorman becomes incapacitated or faces a medical emergency.

The Other Side

When contacted the railway authorities, S Mudgerikar, CPRO, Central Railway, said, "Drivers drive with full safety, and they are always alert. We have several officers monitoring them. They understand their responsibilities." While Western Railway CPRO, SS Gupta said, "Such cases are yet to come to the notice of the administration."