Mumbai: Central Railway gears up with monsoon preparations. Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti, General Manager, Central & Western Railway reviewed the monsoon preparations of Central & Western Railway. Principal Head of Departments and Divisional Railway Managers of Mumbai division were also present. Senior Officers of Mumbai divisions gave presentations on the monsoon preparations done by the respective Railways.
Guiding the officers, Shri Lahoti said that all monsoon related work should be completed before the target date as Central Railway gears up with monsoon preparations. He also instructed the concerned officials to ensure 24×7 monitoring at all the vulnerable locations and to work in close co-ordination with State Government and Municipal Corporations.
To ensure smooth and disruption free services during ensuing monsoon, Central Railway has geared up with monsoon preparations such has removal of muck, cleaning culverts and drains, trimming trees, scanning boulders, provision of high wattage pumps at locations vulnerable for water logging, provision of multi-section digital counters etc.
Central Railway Mumbai Division carried out monsoon precautionary measures on its suburban network as well as in ghats thoroughly as it gears up with monsoon prep. The details of measures taken for ensuring uninterrupted services are as under.
More Water Pumps this year compared to last year at 19 vulnerable locations of Mumbai Suburban network on CR
Central Railway has identified 19 vulnerable locations for water logging during heavy rains and plans to provide 83 pumps at these locations. This year a total of 149 pumps will be provided, of which Railways will be providing 118 pumps and Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai will be providing the balance 31 pumps. This year the capacity of pumps and nos. of pumps were increased at flood prone locations to avoid flooding. The locations identified on main line are Masjid, Mazgaon yard, Byculla, Chinchpokli, Currey Road, Parel, Dadar, Matunga, Sion, Kurla, Vikhroli, Kanjurmarg, Bhandup, Mulund and on Harbour line are Sewri, Vadala, Guru Tegh Bahadur Nagar, Chunabhatti, Tilak Nagar etc.
Desilting of drains
Central Railway has de-silted and cleaned 59 Kms of drains on its suburban section and work is presently in progress on cleaning of another 59 kms of drains.
Cleaning of culverts
CR has cleaned 38 culverts on its suburban sections, and work is presently in progress on cleaning of 45 more culverts.
Trimming of Trees
Work of cutting and trimming of trees has been undertaken at 7,893 different places and work is in progress.
Muck removal
Central Railway has set a target of cleaning and removal of 1.75 lakh cubic meters on Main and Harbour lines.
Ghat Section – Boulder scanning and dropping
334 nos of boulder scanning and dropping work has been undertaken in the ghat section and work is in progress for another 260 nos.
Besides work of Boulder netting and tunnel portal to prevent falling of boulders have also been undertaken in the ghat sections.
Capacity augmentation of the waterway
Pipe pushing via micro tunnelling between Kurla and Vidyavihar stations, two pipelines with a 1.8 metre diameter of 70-metre-long have been pushed, increasing the capacity of the culvert.
Augmentation of the waterway of existing bridge with insertion of RCC Boxes between Vadala and Raoli section will increase the waterway capacity.
Similarly, the waterway is augmented at Tilak Nagar Bridge with insertion of RCC Boxes at Tilak Nagar Station creating an 4.9 metre extra opening to increase the waterway capacity. Also, enhancement of bridge waterway by insertion of RCC Box adjacent to existing bridge between Panvel and Karjat, has increased the waterway capacity and 1.8 meter diameter pipe was pushed between Badlapur and Vangani to increase the water flow. Central Railway has replaced the steel girder with PSB slab of the important Waldhuni Bridge.
Important works targeted for completion
• 3 locations in Sion-Kurla area to be under observation for effectiveness of work done this monsoon.
• Pumping arrangements at Rahul nagar nallah, Chunabhatti to be completed before this monsoon.
• Bunter Bhavan nallah at LTT to be connected by removing encroachments.
• Karve nagar nallah improvement work to be done by MCGM and cost to be recovered from Ajmera builders.
• Appointment of consultant for work of clearing of concrete deposited below water mains at Priyadarshini, Chunabhatti.
Important work in progress
• Widening of nallahs at Vidyavihar, Karve Nagar, Santoshi Mata nallah.
• Connection work of newly constructed Railway culverts to MCGM drain at Chunabhatti.
• Installation of CCTVs at 145 vulnerable locations in ghat section with flood lights.
Important works completed
• Micro tunneling at Masjid, Sandhurst Road, Hindmata-Dadar-Parel area completed.
Other important works:
• Installation of flood gates at Masjid, Byculla, Matunga and Sion-Kurla areas.
• MSF Jawans + RPF Staff as quick response teams.
• A RPF Flood Rescue Team formed in collaboration with NDRF.
• Critical FOBs identified & staff deployed for crowd control.
• Improved communication system in Tunnel and Ghat. (leaky cable and VHF)
• Additional static watchmen at vulnerable locations
24X7 Control Room
CR Control office, working round the clock, will keep close liaison with Meteorological Department, Disaster Management cell and staff deputed at flood prone areas for continuous monitoring and constant updates.
