With the onset of monsoon, the Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd (KRCL) has put in place precautionary measures such as completion of geo-safety works and manual patrolling to avoid accidents due to landslides.
The KRCL chief public relation officer, Mr Siddheshwar Telugu, said that the geo-safety works on critical stretches have been completed.
KRCL, which runs trains through three States – Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka – have posted watchmen at risky locations such as cuttings, bridges and embankments.
The corporation is already engaged in round-the-clock patrolling of unlined portion of tunnels throughout the year, Mr Telugu said, adding that monsoon patrolling has been done and adequate stock of reserve material has been made available for tackling emergencies.
The operator is also liaising with the State government authorities so that release of excess water from reservoirs, dams or bunds does not affect railway traffic.
According to Mr Telugu, the Konkan Railway would also implement a fresh timetable on the route to ensure smooth train operations during the rainy season.
The intensity of rainfall is very high in the region, where “the annual average rainfall is 3,500 – 4,500 mm with the intensity of the rainfall frequently exceeding 80 mm an hour.
Experience has been that deep cutting slopes “become unstable” under heavy rainfall, Mr Telugu said.
“A multi-disciplinary expert committee had been appointed to address the issue. Based on the recommendations of this committee, essential works have been identified and completed since the commissioning of the railway line,” he added.