In Bihar, loco pilots risk their lives to crawl along bridge’s edge & fix fault

PATNA: In an extraordinary display of bravery and demonstration of unwavering commitment to duty, loco pilots of a passenger train in Bihar’s Samastipur district risked their lives, precariously crawling along a bridge’s edge, to fix a technical fault due to which the passenger train had come to an abrupt halt.
A video of loco pilot Ajay Kumar and his assistant Ranjit Kumar, putting their lives at risk to ensure safety of passengers and preventing a potential train mishap, went viral on social media on Saturday.The incident happened on Thursday when the Narkatiaganj-Gorakhpur passenger train came to an abrupt halt on the rail bridge between Valmikinagar and Paniahwa due to a technical issue.
Samastipur divisional railway manager (DRM) Vinay Srivastava said the locomotive pilots quickly identified the problem as a leakage in air pressure. “Although reaching the spot was extremely challenging and posed a significant risk to their lives, the loco pilots remained composed and used their presence of mind. They precariously crawled along the bridge’s edge, tightly gripping it with their hands, to access the area beneath the locomotive. Once there, they successfully plugged the air pressure leakage,” the DRM said. In recognition of their “remarkable courage”, the railway administration has announced a cash reward of Rs 10,000 and commendation certificates for the two loco pilots.