(1) No railway servant employed on the overhead equipment, permanent way or works shall change or turn any component of overhead equipment or a rail, disconnect points or signals or commence any other 278 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—SEC. 3(i)] operation which would obstruct the line without permission of the Station Master on duty obtained either in writing or on secured means of communication, and until Stop signals have been exhibited and line has been either blocked or protected as in rule 242.
And if within station limits all the necessary signals have been placed at 'ON'; Provided that exhibition of Stop signals may be dispensed with if such operations are performed or carried out after the line has been isolated by setting the relevant points against it and stop plugs put on the concerned switches and buttons so that signals cannot be taken 'OFF' for that line.
(2) No work involving removal of any rail from the track shall be under taken without traffic block, except as provided in sub-rule (3).
(3) In emergent cases, official incharge undertaking such operations before commencement of work shall first bring the train to stop and advise the Loco pilot of the train about the need to stop the train through a written memo and simultaneously arrange to inform the Station Master on duty for the need to block the track and obtain confirmation of the same in writing or on secured means of communication.
(4) The traffic block in mid-section may be permitted behind a train which is yet to clear the block section and in such a case,-
(a) the official in charge of the work shall personally ensure that the commencement of work takes place only after the permitted block time or when the last train advised to him has gone past the work site, whichever is later;
(b) the Station Master granting block shall ensure that no movement is undertaken after the committed block time or the departure of the last train thus advised, whichever is earlier.
(5) On completion of the repairs, the inspector of concerned Way and Works individually, or the competent railway servant appointed in this behalf by Dedicated Freight Corridor Railway administration, shall issue a fit certificate to the Station Master on duty prescribing speed limit, if any, to be observed by the trains over the site of obstruction. On receipt of fit advice, the Station Master shall resume the working of trains in accordance with the fitness advised.