Disastrous inferno incident of ill-fated Tezgam Express in early morning of Thursday raises anxieties pertaining to causes, led to said unfortunate occurrence in the history of railways, claiming nearly 74 precious lives and injuring 40, besides interruption in smooth flow of other trains on main line.

Many passengers, even on air travel, carelessly ignore, intentionally or unintentionally, carriage of several 'dangerous items' posing life threat to other passengers. Such dangerous goods carried by passengers are detected by Airport Security Force (ASF) personnel during baggage screening prior to their boarding. Even physical search of passengers also carried out at airports by security personnel to ensure the safety of the aircraft as well as passengers onboard.

Passengers prefer to travel by train as compared to airplane in all progressive countries of the world, including Pakistan due to expensive air travel. Comfortable amenities with safety arrangements by train are increasing day-by-day and becoming almost at par with air travel facilities around the world. Why Pakistan Railways (PR) is left behind?

Why can't we undertake all safety measures, as that of airports, on all railway platforms, prior to boarding of passengers on train and loading of luggage, both accompanied and unaccompanied? Operationally, we need more arrangements.

Is the office of Railways Controller watching train operation, like aircraft by ATC, is equipped with camera monitoring and hotline contact with train driver? If drivers O/B engine remain live to each and every bogie of train, i.e., complete wreck of train behind engine attached in motion? Are auto-fire extinguishers fixed in each bogie and engine to auto-function in case of fire en route? Are bogies equipped with smooth and easy chain pulling at short distances by passengers, to stop fast moving train, in case of emergency? Are the bogies equipped with inter-connected loudspeaker with driver and guard of train for announcements in motion? Whether, guards of train behind remain in communication link with drivers of trains in motion?

While PR is supposed to undertake safety measures on platforms prior boarding trains to run, each passenger is required to ensure compliance of safety regulations for their safe travel by train. Neither PR, nor any passenger alone, can be held responsible for this accident. This should be attributed to both.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019