SWR completes safety inspections, works, gears up for monsoon

Hubballi headquartered South Western Railway (SWR) has carried out all safety-related inspections, and safety works in connection with the preparation for the upcoming monsoon season. This has been done to ensure that loss to Railway property, life and train services are avoided. Special attention has been paid to Ghat sections in Hubballi (Castle Rock to Kulem) and Mysuru (Sakleshpur to Subrahmanya Road) which witness heavy to very heavy rainfall every monsoon.

Section engineers concerned have inspected all vulnerable and precautionary measures have been put in place. Ramesh Kambli, chief bridge engineer of SWR reviewed the monsoon preparedness in all the 3 divisions. 

ATTENTION TO TRACKS

All joints have been attended properly, drainage of water from the track area particularly in yards has been ensured to avoid any stagnation of water. All types of drains have been made with proper slopes and clear outlets so that rains may not affect the operation of trains. The identified vulnerable bridges and locations are provided with name boards at their approaches and arrangements are also made for posting of watchmen. The approaches of girder bridges have also been properly attended.

TRAINING AND EDUCATION

Monsoon patrolling of vulnerable locations has been enhanced. All frontline staff and patrolling gangs have been alerted and sensitised to take all necessary precautions in anticipation of the heavy to very heavy rain. They are equipped with the necessary tools and equipment to clear the tracks of obstructing materials. Key locations such as bridge approaches, level crossing approaches, pedestrian crossings have been attended to to ensure proper track geometry. 

Trackmen, station staff and frontline staff have been trained and alerted for taking action on receiving weather warning messages, sudden storm and rainwater level rising near the bank or bridges.

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

Sagarkatte station in the Mysuru division is equipped with Anemometer to monitor wind speeds. There are 13, 15 and 16 stations in Hubballi, Bengaluru and Mysuru divisions respectively where rain gauges are installed to regularly monitor rainfall levels. 

The stock of boulders, ballast, sandbags, and quarry dust have kept ready in wagons and stabled near flood-prone locations to arrest landslips, breaches, flooding etc (Castle Rock – 15 wagons and Kulem – 15 wagons over Hubballi division; Sakleshpur – 25 wagons, Chitradurga – 15, Subrahmanya Road – 20 over Mysuru Division).

Accident relief train and accident relief medical van are kept ready at all times with prescribed scale of engineering materials. Road vehicles, motor trolleys are kept in good condition for swift transport of relief materials and men to the site, when needed to ensure quick restoration of train services in the event of a disruption.

All track maintainers and frontline staff have been counselled to maintain social distancing, wear face masks and take precautions to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus. Weather bulletins issued from the India Meteorological Department are being monitored and weather warnings are disseminated in a timely manner to stations to alert station masters, trackmen, and engineering electrical and signal/telecom maintenance staff.

Engineering officials have inspected in detail and taken safety measures to prevent damage to train services, railway property and life. Instructions from the disaster management plan has been conveyed to staff at all levels. Close coordination will be maintained with the meteorological department regarding monsoon/weather warning/forecasts.

This post has been published in arrangement with Jaideep J Shenoy