Mumbai: Ditch the local if it rains beyond 70mm

If it pours above 70mm, avoid taking the local. The suburban railway authorities have stated that they have done everything possible to ensure smooth local operations, but heavily and continuous rains are bound to hit train services.

Central Railway authorities said they will take a call on whether to curtail services in case of heavy rains so commuters aren't stranded in the middle of flooded tracks. SK Jain, CR's Divisional Railway Manager (Mumbai), though, said: "If it rains beyond 70mm, then it will be difficult to run trains."

Western Railway bosses said they can tackle normal rainfall. "We are prepared to handle normal rains. We have cleaned the drains and installed high-powered pumps. But if it rains heavily during high tides the drainage system would not be able to take the load, which is the same for city as well," said Sanjay Mishra, WR's Divisional Railway Manager.

In a first this time, 1000Hp pumps are being placed at locations which are prone to severe waterlogging. On the Central Railway these high-powered pumps have been placed at Sion and Kurla while the Western Railway has placed them at Bandra.

The WR will be keeping 74 water pumps along the rail lines between Churchgate and Virar, which last year stood at 59 pumps. Similarly the Central Railway will be installing 60 water pumps this monsoon, while last year it stood at 43 water pumps.

WR has removed nearly 90,000 cubic metre of silt while CR has cleared around 85,000 cubic metre. The railways has also raised track height at several locations.