Alarm buttons in Uttam rakes causing delay: Western Railways

After the button is activated, a key has to be used to unwind the system from inside the coach. The keys are available with the station masters, who have to rush inside the coach to fix it.

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The mechanism to set the system right after the alarm button is activated is located inside the coaches, unlike the conventional alarm chains that can be fixed from outside using a reset stick available with the train pilot.

THE NEWLY-INTRODUCED Uttam rake is causing delay on the Western Railway (WR) with the staff struggling to fix the electronically-operated alarm push button, installed for commuters to halt trains in case of an emergency. The mechanism to set the system right after the alarm button is activated is located inside the coaches, unlike the conventional alarm chains that can be fixed from outside using a reset stick available with the train pilot.

After the button is activated, a key has to be used to unwind the system from inside the coach. The keys are available with the station masters, who have to rush inside the coach to fix it. However, according to senior officials, it was proving difficult for the staff to get inside the coaches that were usually overcrowded. They said it was taking an average of five minutes to fix the system against the earlier duration of 30 seconds.

For that duration, the train is stuck and its cascading impact is felt on other trains. To resolve the problem, the WR has written to the ICF to ensure that the reset mechanism is placed outside the coach. The other issue is that the staff is not accustomed to fixing the alarm button. Special staff has been trained and assigned to set the alarm button right.

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The Uttam rake is one of the only two rakes manufactured by Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai with modified features.

Ravinder Bhakar, chief public relations officer of the WR, said the issue will be resolved soon. “Apart from writing to the ICF, we have asked our officials at the Mahalaxmi workshop to come up with a local solution for the existing Uttam rakes.”

An official said electronically operated press button was not a new concept but available in all trains with modern design as well as air-conditioned rakes. However, the official added, the major problem in the Uttam rakes was due to high utilisation of the alarm button as compared to AC trains.

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