Lucknow, July 9: Northern Railway officials were left in a state of panic after a red signal at Moradabad division did not turn green, leading to several trains from the east getting taking unprecedented halts. The faux pas was caused on Friday night after the station master at Murshadpur got "heavily drunk" and fell asleep.

RPF personnel, along with the station master of the neighbouring stop was rushed to the Murshadpur station to ascertain the reason behind the signal not being lifted. On their arrival, they found Deep Singh, the station master, sleeping with liquor bottles in the vicinity.

Singh was rushed to the government hospital where a test was conducted. High-level of alcohol was detected in his blood. Based on the medical report, the Northern Railways has suspended him for dereliction of duty. An inquiry has been ordered against him, confirmed a senior official.

"Such kind of behaviour on duty is unacceptable. There is zero tolerance level for this. We will take the strictest action," the official was reported as saying.

Among trains which were delayed include those plying on the Howrah-Jammu and Howrah-Dehradun routes, reports said. The trains resumed only after another station master took charge.

courtesy : latestly.com

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New Delhi (PTI): Approximately 13 lakh litres of packaged drinking water -- 'Rail Neer' -- are being supplied to train passengers across the railway network daily, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.

Apprising the Lower House about the Indian Railways' endeavour to provide safe and potable drinking water facilities at all stations, the government also provided zone-wise details of the water vending machines (WVMs) installed there.

"To ensure the quality of drinking water being made available at the railway stations, instructions exist for periodical checking and required corrective action to be taken.

"Regular inspection and maintenance of drinking water facilities is carried out and complaints are attended to promptly," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while responding to a question raised by BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre seeking to know the supply of drinking water at railway stations across the country

"Complaints regarding deficiency in services, including water supply, are received through various channels such as public complaints, web portals, social media, etc. These complaints are received at various levels, including the Railway Board, zonal railways, division office, etc.," Vaishnaw said.

"The complaints so received are forwarded to the concerned wings of Railways and necessary action is taken to check and address them. As receipt of such complaints and action taken thereon is a continuous and dynamic process, a centralised compendium of these is not maintained," he added.

Providing zone-wise details of water vending machines, the minister said 954 such machines have been installed across railway stations.

"The Indian Railways also provides safe and affordable packaged drinking water bottles -- Rail Neer -- approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in trains and at stations," Vaishnaw said.

"Approximately, 13 lakh litres of Rail Neer are being supplied per day to the travelling passengers in trains and at stations across the Indian Railways network," he added.