BELAGAVI
To ensure passenger safety and maintain uninterrupted train services during the monsoon, the South Western Railway (SWR) has implemented necessary safety measures in the Castle Rock“Kulem section of the Braganza Ghat and other ghat sections.
SWR General Manager Arvind Srivastava has directed all officers to accord first priority to safety, especially during the monsoon, and has asked to maintain a strict vigil.
Arrangements are in place to receive timely weather warning alerts from the Indian Meteorological Department to encompass heavy rainfall and cyclone forecasts that would be conveyed to units and stations.
Every vulnerable location has been critically reviewed and inspected, and efforts have been made to eliminate muck or garbage from the drainage system in track areas, ensuring smooth train operations.
Joint inspections of electrified areas have been carried out to identify trees, which may cause damage to Overhead equipment (OHE), signals, track, or any other railway installations and may obstruct traffic during monsoon. Such trees have been chopped/trimmed off for the safety of the track.
The reserved stocks of boulders on designated bridges/locations are made available at Castle Rock, Kulem, and Tinaighat while earthmoving equipment is also available at critical locations.
The stock of boulders, ballast, sandbags, etc., is loaded into 90 wagons and stored near flood-prone locations of SWR. A sufficient inventory of torches, diesel, cotton waste, fuses, etc., is also being maintained.
Moreover, a comprehensive inventory of sleepers, rails, and relief trains is prepared with the necessary scale of engineering materials.
The emergency patrolling will be started on receipt of the weather warning message. Also, stationary watchmen have been deployed to observe the water levels, drainage flow, falling of trees on the track, or any other thing obstructing the traffic.
