New Delhi, Oct 6 (IANS) With an emphasis on saving lives during the Golden Hour, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on Monday among the Railway Protection Force (RPF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and the Indian Railway Institute of Disaster Management (IRIDM), Bengaluru here.

The partnership establishes a clear institutional framework for integrated relief operations and capacity building tailored to railway accident scenarios.

“Every drill and protocol is aimed at cutting critical minutes for faster access, triage, and evacuation from coaches. RPF will build sharper, coach- and track-oriented capabilities — especially confined-space rescue — so the very first actions at the site are the right ones,” according to the Ministry of Railways.

IRIDM will align entry sequencing, stabilisation, cutting plans, patient packaging, and handover. Common radio etiquette, shared checklists, and joint scene-coordination drills ensure agencies operate as one integrated unit during rescue and relief operations.

Sonali Mishra, Director General, Railway Protection Force, stated that there should be effective collaboration and coordination among all stakeholders, and SOPs must be framed in this regard.

In his address, R. Rajagopal, Member (Traction and Rolling Stock), Railway Board, asserted that apart from man-made distress, focus should also be on natural disasters like cyclones, downpours, and heat waves.

He appreciated the initiatives of Jagjivan Ram RPF Academy (JRRPFA) and IRIDM in capacity building related to rescue and relief operations, with a special focus on the Golden Hour.

Piyush Anand, DG NDRF, emphasised that all agencies involved in mitigating the effects of disasters should work as a team. Other agencies of Railways should also be involved in capacity-building efforts.

According to the ministry, this collaboration operationalises a scalable, repeatable ecosystem to enhance national railway disaster readiness—delivering faster, safer, and more coordinated relief to passengers and staff when every minute counts.

—IANS

na/