Bhubaneswar: Hari Shankar Verma, Director General (Safety), Railway Board, concluded a comprehensive three-day safety inspection of the East Coast Railway (ECoR) today. Held from July 13 to 15, the inspection focused on evaluating the implementation of safety measures, infrastructure preparedness, and staff performance across key sections of the zone.
During his visit, Verma undertook a detailed inspection of the Khurda Road–Puri section and also traveled aboard the Bhubaneswar–New Delhi Tejas Rajdhani Express to directly assess real-time safety protocols and operational conditions. His travel was aimed at observing critical aspects such as track quality, signaling, crew coordination, and emergency preparedness.
A high-level safety review meeting was convened at the ECoR Headquarters in Bhubaneswar, chaired by General Manager Parmeshwar Funkwal. Senior railway officials participated in the session, which featured in-depth discussions on safety priorities, incident prevention strategies, and the need for continuous staff training.
Shri Verma also held discussions with key officers of the Khurda Road Division, including Divisional Railway Manager H. S. Bajwa, with a focus on divisional safety benchmarks, crew welfare, and technical readiness. These deliberations aimed to identify opportunities for strengthening field-level safety compliance and fostering a culture of alertness and responsibility among frontline staff.
At Bhadrak, the Director General inspected the Accident Relief Train, station premises, and crew amenities. He also examined level crossing gates and participated in joint inspections conducted by inter-departmental teams, aimed at assessing safety under varied operational scenarios.
