Western And Central Railways Ready To Tackle Monsoon Challenges In Mumbai

The Western and Central railways that collectively ferry over 70 lakh suburban commuters in Mumbai daily are fully prepared to ensure uninterrupted train services during the rainy season, senior railway officials said on Saturday.

CR and WR have carried out all pre-monsoon work concerning railway assets like tracks, mechanical, signalling and electrical equipment and will work in close coordination with other agencies like civic corporations and state departments, they said.

To keep the suburban network, considered Mumbai’s lifeline, flood-prone areas were surveyed using drones, while 651 culverts and 323 km of drains were de-silted and cleaned, an official said. Besides, new drains have been constructed for smooth discharge of water in yards.

Over 3 lakh cubic metres of muck and garbage have been cleared by WR and CR, while 396 high-capacity pumps have been installed at locations vulnerable to waterlogging, the official said. Also, 14 automatic rain gauges have been installed to gather real-time data on rain.

All preparatory tasks have been completed to ensure uninterrupted suburban services on the central, harbour and western lines, the official said. WR and CR run over 3,000 suburban services every day.

Flood gauges have been provided at 98 locations and trees along the tracks have been trimmed. Various measures, including “boulder netting and Canadian fencing”, have been undertaken on the ghat sections of the Central Railway, he said.

To capture images of culverts and bridges that are difficult to access, remote-operated floater cameras have been introduced, marking the first implementation of such technology in Indian Railways. These cameras can take clear images even in low-light conditions. The images are then used to facilitate the cleaning of culverts, he said.

“Point machine covers have been implemented at 231 flood-prone locations across the Central Railway network to ensure protection and reliability,” the official said, adding that reduction in point machine failures during flooding significantly improves operational efficiency.

During heavy downpours and severe weather warnings, CR and WR will work closely with disaster management cells of civic corporations, said a senior railway official.

The municipal bodies have been asked to raise awareness amongst people living near tracks to prevent the disposal of sewage and garbage on the rails, he said.

A special timetable for high tides and heavy rainfall days has been adopted. In a saucer-shaped city like Mumbai, chances of flooding increase if it rains heavily during high tides as water doesn’t flow into the sea during that time, said the official.

CR and WR are also working in close coordination with civic bodies to receive timely and prior information whenever water is being released from dams as it affects bridges and tracks, he said.

Arranging local transport for quick disbursal of passengers during emergencies will also be done through municipal bodies, the official added.