Churchgate accident fallout: Motormen should take psychoanalysis tests regularly, say officials

Two Sundays ago on a bright morning a local train rammed into the premises of Churchgate railway station crossing the buffers that barely managed to contain the trainrsquos momentumThe motorman of the crashed Churchgate local has given a statement that he blacked out seconds before the incident and couldnrsquot react in time as per an official who is preparing a report on the mishap File picNow a report is awaited on this oneofakind accident in which the railway authorities claim that the incident was due to human error Officials feel motormen should be made to undergo regular mental fitness tests to gauge their ability to handle such a highresponsibility jobThere are nearly a thousand motormen on both Western and Central Railway who drive close to 3000 train services every day According to one of the persons who is preparing the report on the Churchgate crash the motorman involved in the incident L Tiwari stated that he ldquoblacked outrdquo seconds before the accident and that he thought he would die and hence couldnrsquot react on timeIn a matter of less than 10 seconds the speed of this train ndash 36 kmph while entering the platform ndash was brought down to 29 kmph at the time of impact Although it is unclear who applied the brakes it seems the guard on the other end had applied brakes that led to a reduction in speedMentally fitEvery motorman or engine driver is required to pass a psychoanalysis test before she can be inducted into the workforce and sit in the driverrsquos chair The motormen undergo physical tests every three years to check heart problems blood pressure any major illnesses or any other mandatory checksHowever these motormen donrsquot have to undergo any exam to ascertain their mental fitness after the first psychoanalysis test save for incidents such as last monthrsquos crash or any other mishap Motormen say that manoeuvering a train in a dense system like Mumbairsquos involves immense mental pressureThey have to ensure that signals are not breached while speeds of trains are always in control depending on restrictions on stretches as well To make problems worse people cross the tracks midday had earlier reported that the railways were introducing yoga sessions to help motormen beat stressSources in the railways claim that gauging mental fitness of motormen and drivers on a regular basis has become vital Officials said the present system needs to be modified and these mental tests should also be conducted along with the physical exam ldquoThere is no mental checkup that takes place How do you tell people if they are mentally unwell unless there is a specific case that comes forthIf we make it mandatory as part of the routine medical tests along with the physical tests we can at least know the mental strength of our motormen Many of the motormen are past the age of 45 They need to undergo these testsrdquo said a senior railway official adding that if anyone is found mentally unfit to helm a driverrsquos job he can be moved to a department that entails lighter workPast incidents have been recorded in which a motorman at times jumped a signal forgot to halt at a station or stopped the train in such a way that some coaches were not on platform The report on the Churchgate incident will likely be submitted to the higher authorities this week and one of the suggestions in it could include making these psychological tests mandatory as part of the regular exams