Chennai, Nov 6:
Southern Railway on Thursday issued a critical safety advisory urging the public to refrain from bursting firecrackers near railway tracks and installations during Deepavali festivities.
In an official advisory shared on social media platform X, the railway administration warned that sparks flying from crackers can easily ignite passing trains, posing catastrophic fire hazards. Authorities also highlighted that dense smoke generated by pyrotechnics along tracks blinds locomotive pilots, drastically reducing signal visibility and increasing the risk of fatal collisions.
“Bursting crackers near railway lines is extremely hazardous,” Southern Railway stated, advising citizens to celebrate Deepavali exclusively in open and designated spaces away from railway property. The zone appealed to passengers and neighbourhood residents to strictly observe standard safety guidelines to prevent untoward accidents during the holiday rush.