Mumbai: CR “Swachhta Rath” continue to work towards Cleaner Environment.Railways consistently took various measures to maintain clean environment not only at stations & its surrounding but also the railway tracks. Central Railway’s Mumbai Suburban network is one of the largest suburban rail networks in the world, serving commuters of four Suburban corridors & network of 336 Route Kms . In order to keep the city’s track clean, Central Railway CR runs Swachhta Rath to collect and clean the muck and garbage on the tracks between CSMT to Kalyan on main line and CSMT to Mankhurd on harbour line. During the year 2021-22, 1.66 lakh cubic metres of muck/garbage were cleared from the tracks in suburban section. Significant portion of this muck has been cleared taking the advantage of the Sunday Mega maintenance block operated on Mumbai Suburban sections.
The muck and garbage dumped along the tracks which defaces the tracks but also clogs the drainages crossing under it, leading to water-logging on tracks during monsoon. These Raths also known as muck specials used to operate only during mid-night. The muck and garbage cleaned are packed in gunny bags which were then loaded on to the Swachhta Rath specials train. 5 Nos of Swachhta Rath are working in Suburban section of Central Railway. In addition to this, one Poclain mounted on DBKM and 6 JCB machines are also operated to remove the muck on the tracks.
Predominantly, the Swachhta Rath were used where the hutments/ slums situated between CSMT – Kalyan at Parsik Tunnel on both side ends, Dombivli Station CSMT end on Slow local line side, Vikhroli, between Matunga – Sion at Dhobi ghat, Dharavi and the stretch between CSMT – Masjid – Sandhurst Road. On Harbour line between CSMT to Mankhurd is Ravli junction between Wadala and King’s Circle, Mahim, between Chembur and Mankhurd, between Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar and Ravli section.
While Railways appeal to the public not to pollute or throw waste on to the tracks, the operation of Swachhta Rath trains to clean that garbage exemplifies, Central Railway’s continuous endeavor to provide a cleaner environment.
