LILUAH WORKSHOP PIONEERS NATIONAL FIRE SAFETY WORKSHOP FOR RAILWAY COACHES

LILUAH WORKSHOP PIONEERS NATIONAL FIRE SAFETY WORKSHOP FOR RAILWAY COACHES

Today under the guidance of Milind K. Deouskar, General manager, Eastern Railway, Ram Bahadur Rai, Principal Chief Safety Officer, Eastern Railway and Permanand Sharma, Principal Chief Mechanical Engineer, Eastern Railway,Carriage & Wagon Workshop, Liluah, took a major leap in enhancing fire safety across Indian Railways by organizing a comprehensive National Workshop on Fire Safety in Railway Coaches, focusing on all aspects of fire protection in coaches, including pantry and power cars. This day-long event was a full-fledged technical workshop that combined in-depth presentations, hands-on shop floor demonstrations, and practical training, establishing a new benchmark in railway fire safety initiatives.

The workshop was inaugurated in the presence of Yatish Kumar, Chief Works Manager, Liluah Workshop,Manish Gangrekar, Chief Rolling Stock Engineer, Eastern Railway and Prem Prakash, Deputy Chief Safty Officer, Mechnical, Eastern Railway. More than 100 delegates from various Zonal Railways, including power car operators, maintenance staff, and Safety Officers who conduct surprise inspections, attended the workshop and benefitted from the technical knowledge shared.

The presentations covered a wide spectrum of fire safety systems currently deployed in Indian Railways, particularly the Fire Detection cum Suppression Systems (FDSS) used in power and pantry cars and the Fire and Smoke Detection cum Brake Application Systems (FSDS/FDBA) used in air-conditioned coaches. These sessions detailed the causes of fire, system working principles, component testing, and recent innovations, including the transition from manual to automatic suppression systems and standardization of critical equipment.

What set this workshop apart was its focus on practical learning. Following the presentations, live demonstrations were conducted on the shop floor where real-time functioning of fire detection systems was showcased. Participants were also taken to the in-house Microprocessor Lab, a state-of-the-art facility established at Liluah Workshop. This lab has been a game-changer for Indian Railways?it tests and repairs all major components and electronic cards associated with FDSS and FSDS systems. Thanks to this facility, Liluah Workshop has significantly reduced dependency on OEMs and saved more than 10 crores of rupees annually that would otherwise be spent on procurement and annual maintenance contracts.

The lab features specialized equipment such as high-resolution cameras, thermal imaging systems, and modern soldering units that allow precise diagnosis and repair of critical fire safety system components. By enabling internal repair and testing, the workshop ensures improved quality control, quicker turnaround, and better technical understanding among staff.

Additionally, the workshop also highlighted safety-related electrical modifications in power cars and pantry cars, including the installation of aerosol suppression units, upgraded cables, new relays, and enhanced protective interlocking devices. These modifications are being carried out as part of Liluah?s ongoing effort to align with RDSO standards and improve safety compliance across all types of coaches.

The success of the workshop not only showcased the technical capabilities of Liluah Workshop but also its visionary leadership in driving innovation, safety, and self-reliance within Indian Railways. The event served as a platform for knowledge exchange, skill development, and capacity building, reinforcing the crucial role that workshops play in railway safety.

Eastern Railway initiative through Liluah Workshop stands as a model for other zones, reflecting Indian Railways broader commitment to modernizing infrastructure, enhancing passenger safety, and reducing operational costs through indigenous solutions.