A team of the National Disaster Response Force in association with the Fire and Rescue Services participating in a train accident response drill at Goods Shed in Tiruchi on Friday.
| Photo Credit: M. MOORTHY
The Tiruchi Railway Division, in collaboration with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services, civil authorities, and other agencies jointly conducted a full-scale mock exercise on train accident and rescue operations on Friday to test the level of preparedness of various agencies in handling real-life emergencies and enhance coordination among them.
An accident-like scenario was created at the Tiruchi Goods Yard as part of the exercise. Two AC three-tier coaches and one general coach were derailed and an alert was sounded. Upon hearing the siren, officials immediately swung into action and reached the site. The NDRF and all other authorities concerned were alerted.
Teams from the railway hospital, Ponmalai, Railway Protection Force, St. John Ambulance, Government Railway Police, and the Bharat Scouts and Guides rushed to the spot. The Principal Chief Safety Officer, Southern Railway, Lalit Kumar Mansukhani, Divisional Railway Manager, Tiruchi, Balak Ram Negi, senior officials from the Southern Railway, and Tiruchi Division besides representatives from the civil authorities and the Tiruchi City Police participated in the exercise.
The rescue teams from the medical, commercial, and mechanical departments worked together to safely evacuate passengers from the derailed coaches. A team of 30 NDRF personnel besides those from the RPF and Government Railway Police demonstrated their expertise by swiftly cutting through the derailed coaches to rescue the trapped passengers.
The Accident Relief Trains comprising a medical relief van equipped with an operation theatre and 10 beds along with other equipment and another consisting of engineering staff and equipment were deployed. A 140-tonne crane was deployed to support the rescue and relief operations.
A total of 31 personnel from the Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services in Tiruchi provided vital support in the rescue operations. The railway medical team set up a temporary medical camp near the ‘accident site’ where first aid and medical care were provided to the “injured” passengers who were quickly shifted to the nearby hospitals.
The exercise served to test the preparedness of all participating teams in handling real-life emergencies. The quick re-railing operation underscored the railway’s ability to restore normalcy in the shortest possible time. The RPF, the Government Railway Police, and the Tiruchi City Police worked in close coordination to maintain order, manage crowds and regulate road traffic during the exercise.
The mock drill provided valuable insights and reinforced the importance of preparedness, coordination, and teamwork among all agencies involved in train accident response, a press release from the Tiruchi Railway Division said.
Published – October 24, 2025 05:46 pm IST
