RPF, NDRF and IRIDM Sign MoU to Strengthen Railway Disaster Response; Partnership Establishes Framework for Integrated Relief with Focus on Golden-Hour Life Saving
RPF, NDRF and IRIDM Sign MoU to Strengthen Railway Disaster Response; Partnership Establishes Framework for Integrated Relief with Focus on Golden-Hour Life Saving
A tri-party Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed today among the Railway Protection Force (RPF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and the Indian Railway Institute of Disaster Management (IRIDM), Bengaluru, at Rail Bhawan, New Delhi. The partnership establishes a clear institutional framework for integrated relief operations and capacity building tailored to railway accident scenarios, with a focused emphasis on saving lives during the Golden Hour. The MoU was signed by Shri B. V. Rao, IG (Training), RPF; Shri Narendra Singh Bundela, IG, NDRF; and Shri Srinivas, Director, IRIDM, in the presence of Shri R. Rajagopal, Member (Traction & Rolling Stock), Railway Board (MTRS); Ms. Aruna Nayar, DG/HR; Shri Piyush Anand, DG/NDRF; Ms. Sonali Mishra, DG/RPF; and other senior officers of NDRF and RPF.
Director General, Railway Protection Force, Ms. Sonali Mishra, stated that there should be effective collaboration and coordination among all stakeholders, and SOPs must be framed in this regard.
In his address, Shri R. Rajagopal, Member (Traction & Rolling Stock), Railway Board, asserted that, apart from man-made distress, focus should also be on natural disasters like cyclones, downpours, and heat waves. He appreciated the initiatives of Jagjivan Ram RPF Academy (JRRPFA) and IRIDM in capacity building related to rescue and relief operations, with a special focus on the Golden Hour.
In his address, Shri Piyush Anand, DG/NDRF, emphasized that all agencies involved in mitigating the effects of disasters should work as a team. Other agencies of Railways should also be involved in capacity-building efforts.
This collaboration operationalizes a scalable, repeatable ecosystem to enhance national railway disaster readiness—delivering faster, safer, and more coordinated relief to passengers and staff when every minute counts.
Key Highlights
The MoU delineates clear roles—JRRPFA as the nodal hub; NDRF hosting battalion-level sensitization and joining IRIDM’s joint courses; and IRIDM designing, updating, and documenting advanced, scenario-based curricula. The framework is scalable across Zonal Railways and is structured for review and continuous improvement over the coming years.