Southern Railway Conducts Mock Drill at Jolarpet for Disaster Prep
A large-scale joint disaster preparedness mock drill was conducted at Jolarpet railway yard in Tirupattur by Southern Railway’s Chennai Division. The exercise aimed to assess the efficiency of relief and rescue operations in the event of a rail accident. Multiple emergency agencies, including disaster response teams and railway personnel, participated in the simulation to enhance coordination and on-ground readiness.
The mock drill scenario replicated a rail accident involving condemned coaches and mannequins representing injured passengers. A Self-Propelled Accident Relief Train (SPART) was deployed to the site, equipped with medical personnel, rescue tools, and technical teams. The operation tested how quickly teams could respond, extract passengers from debris, and administer emergency care. The simulation focused on seamless collaboration between all participating departments and agencies involved in rail safety and emergency response.
Around 1,000 members took part in the three-hour-long exercise. Personnel from the Southern Railway’s safety department, Railway Protection Force, Civil Defence, Government Railway Police, and emergency responders such as St. John Ambulance, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Tamil Nadu Disaster Response Force (TNDRF), and Metropolitan Disaster Force (MDF) worked together. Their coordinated efforts reflected the importance of joint rehearsals to manage crisis events involving mass casualties and complex logistics.
The mock accident site was carefully staged within the Jolarpet railway yard to present realistic challenges. Medical teams demonstrated their emergency treatment protocols while security teams maintained safety and crowd control. Engineering units practiced the technical extraction of trapped mannequins simulating real victims. This interdisciplinary approach offered valuable lessons on refining response timelines, improving communication between units, and ensuring that emergency equipment functions optimally under stress.
Senior railway and district-level authorities observed the drill to evaluate its effectiveness. The event allowed personnel to rehearse critical roles under simulated pressure, assess gaps in response mechanisms, and update protocols accordingly. Exercises like this are crucial in ensuring Indian Railways’ preparedness for real-life emergencies, especially in high-density travel corridors. Authorities plan to conduct more such drills across key railway zones to enhance overall national railway disaster response capacity.
The Jolarpet mock drill underscored Southern Railway’s focus on safety preparedness and rapid response coordination. By simulating a complex accident scenario, railway and emergency teams tested their capabilities in a real-time setup. The exercise is expected to improve inter-agency synergy, refine standard operating procedures, and strengthen confidence among commuters that safety remains a top operational priority for India’s rail infrastructure.
