Railways prepare for flooding

Both the Central and Western Railway have begun making preparations for the monsoon. As part of these preparations, several measures are being taken to prevent a catastrophe, especially in stretches that are more flood-prone.

On the suburban railway system, the following locations have been identified as flood-prone by both the Central and Western Railway:  Khar, Santa Cruz, Mahim, Vasai Road, Nalasopara, Virar, Parel, Chinchpokli, Sion and Sandhurst Road. As per an official statement, the Western Railway (WR) will lift tracks in the low-lying areas, de-silt culverts and drains, and place 55 diesel pumps to pump water off the tracks.

The Central Railway (CR) will use 17 pumps and sanitise about 83 culverts on its suburban network. Both the railway administrations are getting financial support from the city municipal body, the BMC to carry out the works. The WR will receive close to Rs32 lakh and the CR about Rs1 crore.

CR chief spokesperson VA Malegaonkar said that the CR will also carry out a thorough check of the signalling systems on the Mumbai suburban network.

Monsoons usually make the signalling systems on the suburban network vulnerable. On its part, the WR has further planned to publish a monsoon booklet and pocket dairies, monitor vulnerable locations during heavy rains round-the-clock, and equip on ground staff equipped with walkie-talkies and cell phones.