India’s first railways disaster management centre in Bengaluru

India’s first railways disaster management village is expected to come up near Bengaluru by December 2018, where situations like trains falling into rivers and coaches catching fire will be replicated and mock rescue operations will be carried out in real time.
More Details about India’s first railways disaster management village in Bengaluru:

• The Railways Ministry has earmarked the 3.32-sqkm village of Hejjala, with a population of 3,483 people for this purpose.
• This Disaster Management Institute and Safety Village will be set up at a cost of Rs 44.42 crore.
• The village, about 25 km from Bengaluru, will also have a virtual reality centre for analysis of railway accidents.
• The focus will be on imparting state-of-the-art training on rescue, medical relief and rolling stock restoration techniques in a classroom and also using various simulated teaching aids.
• A senior railway ministry official has said that over aged rolling stock such as coaches, wagons and locomotives will be used to replicate train accidents.
• Tunnel, cutting, embankment, other conditions and obstructions like overhead structures and platforms are being created at the village to resemble the real scenario.
• For carrying out underwater rescue and relief operations, a water body is also being developed.
• The ultimate aim is to provide training on dealing with various disasters under varied environment and terrain.

Quick Facts about Indian Railways:

• Indian Railways is owned and operated by the Government of  the Ministry of Railways.
• The first passenger train in Indiaran between Bombay and Thane on April 16, 1853.
• Indian Railways is the fourth largest railway network in the world and is the world’s eighth biggest employer.
• Suresh Prabhu is the current Union Minister of Railways.
• Headquarters of Indian Railways in located in New Delhi.