Kalpa Media House | Bengaluru |
South Western Railway, in association with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Indian Railways Institute of Disaster Management (IRIDM), successfully organised the Indian Railways–NDMA National Conclave on Disaster Management at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Bengaluru.
The conclave brought together senior officials from Indian Railways, NDMA, Railway Board, India Meteorological Department (IMD), Central Water Commission (CWC), ISRO, IISc, IIT Madras, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Armed Forces, along with representatives from academia and industry. The discussions focused on strengthening disaster preparedness and resilience across the railway network.
The event commenced with a welcome address by the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Bengaluru. This was followed by addresses from the General Manager of South Western Railway, Shri P. Ananth, Member and Head of Department, NDMA, Shri Krishna S. Vatsa, and Director General (Safety), Railway Board, Shri Hitendra Malhotra, who addressed the gathering virtually. The speakers highlighted the importance of technology, institutional collaboration and proactive risk management in disaster preparedness.
Presenting the Indian Railways Disaster Response Mechanism, Shri S. Bairva, Director, IRIDM, underlined the century-old legacy of Indian Railways in ensuring safety and effective disaster response. He elaborated on the organisation’s comprehensive Disaster Management Plan, continuous improvements in response strategies and enhanced capabilities of Accident Relief Trains (ARTs) through modernisation and systematic preparedness.
A high-level panel discussion on “Risk Landscape and Preparedness,” featuring experts from IMD, CWC, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and NDMA, examined emerging risks due to climate change, floods and extreme weather events. IMD showcased its advanced forecasting systems, including cyclone predictions, flash flood guidance, nowcasting services and weather APIs, along with mobile applications such as Mausam, Meghdoot and Damini. The Central Water Commission highlighted strategies for integrated flood management, climate resilience, flood risk assessment and its Flood Watch application.
The panel emphasised the need to strengthen the resilience of railway infrastructure, enhance coordination between Railways, IMD and CWC, adopt the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP), ensure safe handling of hazardous materials and promote innovative start-up solutions for disaster mitigation.
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In a session on emerging technological solutions, Lt. Gen. K. S. Brar (Retd.) spoke about the transformative role of technology and start-ups in disaster prevention, preparedness and response. Prof. T. G. Sitharam of IISc presented the Chenab Railway Bridge as a benchmark of resilient infrastructure and engineering excellence, while ISRO highlighted the role of space technology in disaster risk reduction.
A case study on the Srivaikuntham floods demonstrated the importance of timely prediction, community participation, humanitarian logistics and seamless multi-agency coordination during emergencies.
The conclave also reviewed successful multi-agency disaster management exercises conducted by South Western Railway, including simulated derailment rescue operations, anti-hijack drills, water rescue missions and coach fire response. These exercises showcased coordinated efforts by Railway teams, NDRF, Special Forces, Fire Services and medical agencies.
Start-ups also presented innovative technological solutions aimed at improving disaster management capabilities.
The conclave concluded with a consensus that future disaster management in Indian Railways must focus on prevention, preparedness, technology adoption, climate resilience and institutional collaboration. Delegates emphasised the integration of predictive technologies, artificial intelligence, satellite monitoring, drones, standardised operating procedures and continuous capacity building to further strengthen the safety and resilience of the railway network.
The event reaffirmed Indian Railways’ commitment to building a safe, technology-driven and disaster-resilient railway system for the nation.
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