Madurai loco pilots get safety award for timely alert on rail fracture

Locomotive pilot and assistant pilot awarded for timely reporting of weld failure, ensuring safety on the tracks.

Safety awards were presented to locomotive pilot Rattiram Meena and Senior Assistant Loco Pilot N. Raveendran for their timely reporting on an unusual situation that helped in detecting a weld failure near Oddanchatram between Dindigul and Palani on Sunday.

Divisional Railway Manager Sharad Srivastava presented the awards at the Weekly Safety Meeting held here on Monday.

While piloting train No. 16722 Madurai-Coimbatore Intercity Express between Akkaraippatti and Oddanchatram, the duo experienced a jerk on track and immediately alerted the Station Master of Oddanchatram before the train cleared the Akkaraippatti-Oddanchatram block section.

Acting on the message, the Station Master issued a special caution order to the next train - train No.16731 Palakkad - Tiruchendur Express. Further, during inspection at the site, a weld failure was noticed and rectified.

The DRM appreciated the safety consciousness of the crew and presented them with certificate of appreciation and cash award.

Additional Divisional Railway Manager C. Selvam, Senior Divisional Electrical Engineer (Operations) Amal Sebastian and Senior Divisional Operations Manager V. Prasanna were present.