Monsoon is one season everybody expects so that water is available for the citizens during non-monsoon period and replenishes the ground water level. However, in areas like Mumbai, the city in which everybody moves on wheels in general and trains in particular for work daily sometimes face hardship when it rains heavily.
Central Railways (CR), which caters to around 38 lakh suburban commuters after pandemic daily, takes precautions so that the train running is not affected during monsoon. Engineering, Electrical, Mechanical, Operations, Signal & Telecommunications etc., work in tandem and have carried out monsoon precautions to ensure smooth services during monsoon.
Anil Kumar Lahoti, General Manager, Central Railway said that monsoon precautions have been taken in detail so that the effect of monsoon on train services is minimum. CR HQ and divisional officials are taking all efforts to avoid inconvenience to the passengers and keep running wheels 24X7 during heavy rain.
Track Maintainers patrol their section in pairs on foot and scan for any dangers like rail breakage, fracture, etc. During the monsoon, certain sections of the railway line, are identified and specified for patrolling by railway men to detect damage by flood such as breaches, boulder falls, settlements, slips and scours and immediate action to be taken to protect rains, when warranted.
Moreover, 52 such sections have been identified where patrolling is warranted out of which 34 are in Mumbai Division ghat sections. Around 300 patrolmen have been deployed to patrol the identified sections during full monsoon. All the patrolmen’s are provided with GPS trackers and their live locations are being monitored in respective controls.
For a systematic and effect patrolling, patrol charts are prepared by divisional engineers taking into consideration the train timings of the timetable in force such that all trains carrying passengers between sunset and sunrise get the maximum protection possible. Each Patrolman is provided with necessary set of equipment. Besides this a Petrol Notebook also given, in which timing of his reporting and movement are recorded by another person at the ends of the sections. The book travels from one end to another end as it is exchanged at each other’s jurisdiction limit.
Besides these patrolmen, stationery watchmen at 114 locations over Central Railway are deployed round the clock to guard vulnerable bridges, cutting and tunnel locations. Central Railway Mumbai Division also install around 145 CCTV cameras at 29 vulnerable locations in the ghats to have a remote and continuous watch. 16 additional pumps provided at flood prone locations.
Before the onset of monsoon, in ghat sections (Karjat-Lonavala; Kasara-Igatpuri on Mumbai Division and Dharakhoh and Maramjhiri on Nagpur Division loose boulders at the top of hill and on the slope are identified by detailed survey. Such boulders are pulled down and fallen before the monsoon. 625 loose boulders have been identified and have been fallen down in advance this year.
Railway also cleans, every year, waterway of around 3,300 small bridges to avoid any flooding besides cleaning of side drains all along the routes. Around 999 km of side drains are cleaned before monsoon. 98% of cleaning has been done and the cleaning of remaining side drains will be completed before the onset of monsoon. 68 catch water drains have been cleaned.
In Mumbai suburban, 29 locations have been identified as flood prone locations. High Pressure pumps have been deployed and will be operated as and when needed.
Traction Distribution wing carried out maintenance of crossovers, turnouts, masts, cantilevers, etc for smooth operations of trains by operating power blocks. The live line checking by Tower Wagon and foot patrolling of sections have been carried out to ensure healthiness of OHE gears for smooth running of trains.
Electrical General wing carried out transformer cleaning and tightening of outgoing connections at TMS substation, power panel, lighting panel, rectifiers, etc.
Signal & Telecom wing carried out meggering of cables, sealing of point motors as part of monsoon preparedness, panel testing, point machine and signal unit repairs and replacement.
Readiness to face the challenge
Around 170 wagons of boulders and quarry dust are kept in different locations spread over Central Railway to meet any exigency of washouts or subsidence of formation of slope failure due to extreme heavy rains. Out of 170 wagons, 54 wagons are in Mumbai Division.
Mumbai Division released monsoon precaution booklet which contains guidelines for railway staff, dates and time of high tides during upcoming monsoon. MSF Jawans + RPF Staff as quick response teams and a RPF Flood Rescue Team formed in collaboration with NDRF for any exigency.
Coordination with Other Government Departments & 24X7 Control Room
There are 111 identified railway affecting tank and works (RAW and RAT) joint inspection of which have been already completed by railway engineers and State Government officials. CR Control office, working round the clock, will keep close liaison with Meteorological Department, Disaster Management cell and staff deputed at flood prone areas for continuous monitoring and constant updates.
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