After the Andheri bridge collapse, the site was visited by officers from different streams of engineering alone — civil, mechanical, electrical, signal, telecom.
The suburban railways, which ferries 80 lakh Mumbaikars every day, is a complex departmentalised body with multiple branches.
After the Andheri bridge collapse, the site was visited by officers from different streams of engineering alone — civil, mechanical, electrical, signal, telecom. They were trying to piece together the jigsaw on how it happened. After monitoring debris removal, nets were being cast to catch "the one responsible for the collapse".
The Commissioner of Railway Safety, who is from the aviation ministry, has been asked to conclude an inquiry by July 18. "Any incident of this proportion cannot happen due to one single reason. So all departments come together to determine the reason. There are conflicts and so these incidents are also probed by CRS," said a senior railway official.
For the same reason, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal ordered joint teams of railways, BMC and IIT-Bombay to inspect 445 bridges across Mumbai. Sometimes, state agencies have to be involved.
Whenever there are other technical failures, be it a problem with a coach, engine, wheels or brakes, the overhead equipment or the signal system, officials from different rail departments address it.
If external help is needed, such as to tear down illegal encroachments, the rail authorities get in touch with civic authorities and the police. After the Andheri collapse, railway officials requested BMC to carry out a drive to remove infringements on pedestrian pathways or bridges, as they cause corrosion and weaken the bridge.
Caught In Quagmire
Rail authorities have to get in touch with civic authorities and the police when it comes to bringing down encroachments.
Even within the rlys, there are multiple depts that have to coordinate.
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