Taking advantage of the Lockdown, the Mumbai Motormen Training Centre, Kurla has imparted online training to keep the memories of the motormen and guards refreshed.
This online training program updated the knowledge of the Motormen and Guards and also motivated them to avoid SPAD (Signal Passing at Danger), platform overshooting and also prepared them for upcoming monsoon precautions.
At work, every motorman of Mumbai Suburban Section of Central Railway on an average negotiates 300 signals every day with utmost attention, while carrying out the responsibility of carrying millions of passengers safely. Therefore, intermittent training & updating of the safety aspect of the operations of the local train is very essential.
Due to enforcement of the lockdown to contain the spread of Covid-19, the services of Mumbai suburban services were halted. Until the lockdown, the Motormen Training Centre was imparting classroom training. After lockdown, and as per the directions, changed the pattern of training from classroom to online for suburban motormen and guards.
Three courses were conducted through online viz. 21 days refresher training course, 10 weeks promotional course, one day intensive course. Each of the course modules has online class training as well as practical training.
The practical training is conducted in a local train for a batch of three Motormen at a time. 162 trainees have been trained through one day intensive course from 08.05.2020 to 13.06.2020, each day 10 trainees attend online training course from home and 85 staff have been trained in other online courses. Overall 247 motormen underwent training during this lockdown period.
Motorman & Guard steer the lifeline of Mumbai every day. They are the heroes whom Mumbaikars revere & respect during raksha bandhan, holi, dussehra and other festivals. About 1,774 services are operated in a day by Mumbai division of Central Railway.
This online module of the training program updates the motormen with all technical and troubleshooting knowledge of different types of rake in Mumbai division, operating technical knowledge, safety knowledge, road learning knowledge and also focused with tips to avoid SPAD (Signal Passing At Danger), platform overshooting and upcoming monsoon precautions.
During the online training they are also once again enlightened about the comprehensive aspect of safety and technical knowledge including the uses of flashlight, uses of headlight, use of detonator, knowledge of automatic signaling section and absolute block section, action to be taken during fire in EMUs, action to be taken during run over and passenger fallen down from running trains, auxiliary warning system, troubleshooting of different types of rakes including the signaling & technical aspects of train operations and finally online tests are also conducted to assess the knowledge of the trainees.
These training for motormen were essential as across the country in other railway sections the minimum gap between two signals is at least one kilometer, whereas in Mumbai suburban it is less than half a kilometer. This complex & busiest suburban train network can be operated only when its operational staff is well trained and updated. As during the lockdown, when the classroom training was not possible, this innovative E-learning training from home for suburban motormen and guards was devised.
These refresher courses and training will ensure them to retain up-to-date knowledge about the safety, technical aspects and also enable them for safe operations of train and remember the location of signals on the city suburban section. With Mumbai’s local trains, the lifeline of India’s financial capital, shut due to the nationwide lockdown, capitalizing on it, the Central Railway has fulfilled its unprecedented task of keeping the memories of its motormen and guards refreshed.