Jammu Railway Division readies scratch rakes to minimise winter fog delays

Jammu, Dec 23: Amid dense fog, there will be no need to feel distraught, at least for passengers of Jammu Tawi-Ajmer and Katra-New Delhi-Katra trains, if their trains get delayed by seven hours or more or indefinitely.

They can still reach their destinations on time as they will be provided with additional rakes for boarding so as to compensate for delay.

To minimise delays in train operations due to dense fog and ensure passenger convenience, the Jammu Railway Division of the Northern Railway has provisioned for “scratch rake” or additional rake (coupled coaches or freight wagons).

According to railway authorities, the scratch rakes or additional rakes for Jammu Tawi-Ajmer and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra-New Delhi-Katra trains have been kept ready for operation in case the original train gets delayed due to heavy fog or other problems.

Scratch rake will compensate for delays in their (trains’) departure and arrival.

This decision has been taken following the direction of Divisional Railway Manager, Vivek Kumar. It will be executed under the supervision of Senior Divisional Commercial Manager and Senior Divisional Operations Manager, so that trains delayed due to fog during the winter season can be run on time.

“Significant steps have been taken in the Jammu Division of Northern Railway to minimise delays in train operations due to dense fog and to ensure passenger convenience. In this regard, a scratch rake or additional rake has been arranged, to tackle any such issue,” Uchit Singhal, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of Jammu Railway Division said.

“It has been decided to provide a “scratch rake” or additional rake for train number 12414 (Jammu Tawi-Ajmer) and train numbers 22478 and 22477 (Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra-New Delhi-Katra) to compensate for delays in their departure and arrival. This will ensure that passengers reach their destinations on time,” Singhal said.

The scratch rake, according to Singhal, is a solution for trains that are delayed by seven hours or more or indefinitely.

“By using these scratch rakes or additional rakes, the punctuality of delayed trains can be maintained. Passengers will also not have to wait for hours at the railway station, and the train will depart on time,” he said.

Regarding the initiatives taken to improve passenger amenities in the Jammu Railway Division, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager said, “This (provisioning for additional rake) is a significant step taken by the railways. Its main objective is to ensure comfortable and timely travel for passengers during the foggy weather in winter. Trains often get delayed due to fog. Such additional measures will also help in meeting the increasing demand of passengers in the future. This successful operation is a testament to the efficient management of the railways and its understanding of passenger needs.”