The Konkan region is known to receive heavy rainfall during the monsoon season. Konkan Railway completed the planned safety works on its 740 km route and is now gearing up for the onset of the monsoon season. Special attention has been given to catch water drain cleaning and inspection of cuttings. The large-scale geo-safety works that have been executed along the railway line in the last few years have significantly reduced the incidences of boulder falls and soil slipping, thus ensuring the safe running of trains. No major disruption to train services has occurred on account of boulder fall during monsoons in the last 9 years.
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. Identified vulnerable locations 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 Theater and emergency medical aid, are kept ready at Ratnagiri and Verna. The ART (Accident Relief Train) is also kept ready at Verna.
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 Station Master and control office during any emergency situations. 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 & Udupi 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 & Veer), Savitri river (between Veer & Sape Wamane), and Vashishti river (between Chiplun & Kamathe) and will alert Officials in case water flow reaches above danger Level. Anemometers have been installed at 04 locations viz. Panvel viaduct (between Ratnagiri & Nivasar), Mandovi bridge (between Thivim & Karmali ), Zuari bridge ( Karmali & Verna) and Sharavati bridge (between Honnavar & Manki) to monitor the wind velocity.
Control rooms at Belapur, Ratnagiri and Madgaon, will work 24 x 7 during the monsoon period for ensuring the safe running of trains. Monsoon Time Table will come into effect from 10th June 2022 up to 31st Oct 2022. Passengers may check train status online during monsoon by visiting www.konkanrailway.com or using KRCL App by downloading from Google Play Store or by dialling 139.
Konkan Railway aims to ensure safe travel for its passengers in the coming monsoon with the measures taken above.
