W. RLY INITIATES VARIOUS MEASURES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF ‘BREAK THE CHAIN’ GUIDELINES
Limited entry/exit gates to streamline the movement of commuters
Railway officials deployed at sensitive stations to monitor the situation and crowd management
Increased RPF Bandobast as well as deployment of Ticket Checking staff to prevent unauthorized access into the station and
to ensure Covid Appropriate Behaviour at stations & in trains
Fine imposed on people not wearing masks in railway premises
Photo Caption:Ticket Checking & RPF staff, checking the IDs, guiding the commuters & regulating their movements at various WR suburban stations
With regards to the ‘Break the Chain’ guidelines issued by Government of Maharashtra on 21st April, 2021, Western Railway has put in place various elaborate arrangements for proper implementation of the guidelines mentioned therein.
According to a press release issued by Shri Sumit Thakur - Chief Public Relations Officer of Western Rly, the guidelines issued by Government of Maharashtra vide order No. DMU/2020/CR.92/DisM-1 dated 21.04.2021 has been displayed at prominent places outside the booking offices for the guidance of commuters. Regular announcements has been started at railway stations for the awareness of people citing that only the essential category employees as notified by the State Government are permitted to travel by the special Mumbai suburban local trains. Accordingly, suburban tickets are being issued only from booking counters and ATVMs, JTBS as well as UTS App have been deactivated in view of these new guidelines.
Shri Thakur stated that inorder to monitor & control crowd, maximum deployment of staff has been ensured at all the stations, circulating areas and platforms. To streamline the movement of passengers, only limited entry/exit gates will remain opened at both the sides of the stations. At major stations, 2 entry/exit gates have been provided. Accordingly, approx. 180entry/exit gates have been closed on the suburban section of WR. Adequate RPF/GRP personnel as well as Ticket Checking Staff have been deployed at station entry/exit to ensure compliance of the guidelines & to prevent unauthorized access into the station. The IDs of the commuters are being checked to permit commuters of essential categories only as specified by State govt. Also, Rly Officers have been deputed to monitor the situation & crowd management at sensitive stations. on the first day of the implementation of the curbs, i.e. on 23rd April, 2021, 135 Ticket Checking staff & 471 RPF personnel were deployed at suburban stations to help, guide & check the commuters. Ticket checking has also been intensified to curb unauthorized passengers. on 23rdApril, 2021, 267 cases of ticketless travelling were detected on WR suburban stations & about Rs. 69, 000 were realized as fine.
In view of the current COVID -19 situation, to ensure wearing of face masks/face cover by all persons at railway premises (including trains), fines up to Rs. 500 under Indian Railways (Penalties for activities affecting cleanliness at Railway Premise) Rules, 2012 by nominated Railway Authorities has been implemented to penalize persons not wearing face mask/cover in Railway premises & trains and those resorting to spitting, etc. on 23rd April, 2021, 107 persons were fined for not wearing masks by Railway officials as well as BMC Marshalls and fine of Rs. 17,600/- was realized from them. It is also mentioned that during the period from 17thto 23rd April, 2021, 537 persons have been penalized over WR for not wearing masks and a fine to the tune of Rs. 1.23 lakhs has been realized.
Shri Thakur further informed that Western Railway is also making regular Announcements through Public Announcement System (PAS) as well as through Digital screens at stations & platforms to follow COVID Health protocols. Similarly, extensive awareness campaigns are also undertaken on social media platforms on COVID Appropriate Behaviour and COVID Health Protocols through attractive infographics, webcards, e - posters & videos.
Western Railway appeals all its valued commuters to follow the norms, protocols & SOPs related to COVID – 19 including maintaining social distancing & wearing of masks while travelling in trains. Also, passengers are requested not to believe on any rumours and to check with the updates only from the official twitter handles (www.twitter.com/WesternRly) & (www.twitter.com/drmbct) as well as the facebook page (www.facebook.com/WesternRly) of Western Railway.
********
