MARGAO
Konkan Railway will conduct monsoon patrolling as per the prescribed guidelines to ensure the safe running of trains. About 846 personnel will patrol the Konkan Railway route during the monsoon.The monsoon timetable will come into effect from June 10 up to October 31. Passengers may check train status online during the monsoon by visiting www.konkanrailway.com or using KRCL App which can be downloaded from Google Play Store or by dialling 139.
Aimed at ensuring safe travel for its passengers in the coming monsoon, the Konkan railway has identified vulnerable locations, which will be patrolled round the clock. Stationary watchmen will be deployed for 24 hours and speed restrictions will be imposed at these locations. BRN mounted excavators have been kept ready at nominated points for quick movement in case of any emergency.
Instructions have also been issued to loco pilots to run the trains at a reduced speed of 40 kmph in case of heavy rainfall when visibility is limited. Self-propelled ARMVs (Accident Relief Medical Van), with the provision of Operation Theatre and emergency medical aid, are kept ready at Ratnagiri and Verna. The ART (Accident Relief Train) is also kept ready at Verna.
KR officials said mobile phones have been provided to all safety category staff to contact the control office/station in an emergency. Both loco-pilots and guards of trains have been provided with walkie-talkie sets as well as every station on Konkan Railway is equipped with a 25 Watt VHF base station. This enables wireless communication between the train crew as well as the train crew and Station Master.
Emergency Communication (EMC) sockets have been provided at a distance of an average of 1 Km along the Konkan Railway route that enables the patrolmen, watchmen, loco-pilots, guard and other field maintenance staff to contact the Station Master and control office during any emergencies. Satellite phone communication has been provided in ARMV (Accident Relief Medical Van) for emergency contact. All main signal aspects on Konkan Railway are now replaced with LEDs for improving signal visibility.
Self-recording rain gauges have been installed at 9 stations viz. Mangaon, Chiplun, Ratnagiri, Vilwade, Kanakavali, Madgaon, Karwar, Bhatkal and Udupi which will record the rainfall in the region and alert officials in case of increased rainfall. Flood warning systems for bridges have been provided at 3 locations viz. Kali river (between Mangaon and Veer), Savitri river (between Veer and Sape Wamane), Vashishti river (between Chiplun and Kamathe) and will alert officials in case water flow reaches above danger Level.
Anemometers have been installed at 4 locations viz. Panval viaduct (between Ratnagiri and Nivasar), Mandovi bridge (between Thivim and Karmali), Zuari bridge (Karmali and Verna) and Sharavati bridge (between Honnavar and Manki) to monitor the wind velocity.
Control rooms at Belapur, Ratnagiri and Madgaon will work 24x7 during the monsoon period for ensuring the safe running of trains, KR officials stated.
