Date:02/01/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/02/stories/2008010250480200.htm

Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi

Mock rail drill keeps staff on tenterhooks

Staff Reporter

TIRUCHI: A series of sirens from the Railway divisional control office here on Monday evening alerting about a fatal ‘accident’ at an unmanned level crossing between Srirangam and Valadi kept the railway staff on tenterhooks.

Even as officials from various departments left by the accident relief medical equipment train to reach the ‘accident site’, came the information that it was a mock drill conducted to test the alertness of the railway staff of various departments.

Railway sources said the control office received information at around 4.20 p.m. about a light engine colliding with a tractor at the unmanned gate. The information received was that the tractor driver had lost his life in the ‘accident’ and two others had sustained grievous injuries.

Further, through running in the section had been ‘affected’.

Upon this, the control office blew a series of sirens to alert the staff about the incident.

Railway officials got in to action immediately boarding the accident relief train which left Tiruchi Junction to the ‘accident’ spot.

In the meantime, an accident relief train with men and materials was also ready to leave from the Tiruchi Goods Yard.

However, upon arrival at Srirangam station, the officials travelling by the train were informed by Senior Divisional Safety Officer A. Mani that the entire episode was a mock drill .