Organisation set-up:

The civil engineering department of the Railways is responsible for the maintenance of railway lines. The maintenance organisation consists of Chief Engineers, Deputy Chief Engineers, Divisional Engineers and Assistant Engineers, supported by Permanent Way Inspectors (PWI) and Bridge Inspectors. A PWI is normally in charge of 40-90 Km of route. There are gangs for carrying out the actual maintenance. A gang is normally in charge of 6 to 8 Km of track and may consist of 10 to 18 gang men headed by a mate. The gang men reside near their beat length.

Inspection

A regular system of inspection is laid out in the Railways, fixing who should inspect and at what frequency. The PWIs inspect the track on trolleys, once a week. The Assistant Engineer inspects his entire jurisdiction once a month, and the Divisional Engineer once in three months. Besides, inspections in the last vehicle and foot-plate of the engine are also prescribed. The inspections check the gauge, the alignment, the levels, and all components of the track for evidence of wear and tear and faults.