Malda Division Intensifies Winter Safety Measures to Ensure Safe Train Operation

With the onset of winter and the possibility of dense fog across operational sections, Eastern Railway, Malda Division has intensified comprehensive safety protocols to ensure safe, secure and uninterrupted train movement under the guidance of Shri Manish Kumar Gupta, Divisional Railway Manager, Malda.

Night Footplate Inspections & Monitoring

Regular night footplate inspections are being carried out across fog-prone sections, including Malda Town–Jangipur Road, Malda Town–Sahibganj–Bhagalpur–Jamalpur–Kiul, Bhagalpur–Godda and Bhagalpur–Dumka. Chief Loco Inspectors, supervisors and Branch Officers are conducting intensive checks which will continue throughout the season for real-time corrective action.

Fog Safety Devices & Digital Tracking

All locomotives in fog-affected sections have been equipped with advanced Fog Safety Devices, whose performance is continuously monitored through a dedicated WhatsApp-based digital reporting system. This ensures prompt feedback, swift rectification and operational readiness.
With effective deployment, permissible fog-time speed has been rationalised from 60 kmph to 75 kmph, ensuring both safety and efficiency. A total of 347 Fog Safety Devices are in active working condition in Malda Division.

Engineering & Infrastructure Preparedness

To reinforce safety under low visibility, the Division has ensured:

• Adequate detonators across all fog-prone territories
• Repainting of signal boards, whistle/caution boards and LC gates with luminous strips
• Upgradation of tail lamps with LED flasher lights
• Senior Engineering officers (DENs, AENs) are conducting round-the-clock supervision, night patrolling by Track Maintainers and morning patrols by Keymen—all monitored through GPS at Divisional level with prescribed safety gear issued.

Visibility & Detonator Protocol

Station Masters have been instructed to perform frequent visibility assessments. *Wherever visibility drops below 180 metres, detonators will be deployed to provide audible alerts to approaching trains*. Trained fog-signalling personnel are being positioned accordingly.

Operational Instructions for Loco Pilots

Loco Pilots have been directed to:

• Regulate speed strictly as per visibility
• Intensify whistling, especially at level crossing
• Maintain safe braking distances during dense fog
• Control speeds judiciously in automatic signalling territories
• In exceptional conditions, a few services have been cancelled as a precautionary measure to avoid cascading delays and uphold safety.


All winter safety activities are being closely supervised round-the-clock by Branch Officers and supervisory staff with direct monitoring by the DRM/Malda.


Malda Division remains firmly committed to passenger safety and operational excellence. The enhanced winter preparedness represents a proactive, technology-enabled and safety-first approach to meet the challenges of fog and adverse weather during the season.