(THE NEWSMAN OF INDIA)
Mumbai: Konkan Railway is gearing up for the onset of the Monsoon season and has completed all planned safety works on its route from Kolad to Thokur have been completed.

Special attention has been paid to catch water drain cleaning and inspection of cuttings. The large scale geo-safety works executed along the railway line in the last 13 years have significantly reduced the incidences of boulder fall and soil slip.

As a result, no major disruption to train services on account of boulder fall has taken place in the last 6 years.

Konkan Railway will conduct Monsoon Patrolling as per the provisions of Indian Railway Permanent Way Manual to ensure the safe running of trains.

About 630 personnel will be patrolling the Konkan Railway. Vulnerable locations will be patrolled round the clock and Stationary Watchmen will be deployed for 24 hours at critical locations.

Speed restrictions will be imposed at vulnerable locations. BRN mounted excavators have been kept ready at all nominated points for quick movement in case of an emergency.

Instructions have also been issued to the loco drivers 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 Theatre and providing emergency medical aid, are kept ready at Ratnagiri and Verna (Goa) along with ART (Accident Relief Train).

Mobile phones have been provided to all safety category staff to contact central control 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 25 Watt VHF base station.

Emergency Communication (EMC) sockets have been provided at a distance of average 1 kilometre along the Konkan Railway route that enables the Patrolmen, Watchmen, Loco Pilots, Guard and other field maintenance staff to contact Station Master and Train Controllers during any emergency situations.

Satellite phone communication has been provided in ARMV for emergency contact. All main signal aspects on Konkan Railway are now replaced with LED for improving signal visibility.

Three Control rooms at Belapur, Ratnagiri and Madgaon, will work 24 x 7 during monsoon period for ensuring the safe running of the train. passengers can check train status on Konkan Railway’s site.
Monsoon Time Table will come into effect from June 10 upto October 31, 2019.

Passengers who have been issued journey tickets prior to the announcement of the Monsoon Time Table are requested to check the timings of their train well in advance as the departure timing of some trains will be revised.

During the summer season, there is always an influx of tourists and natives visiting the Konkan region. Hence, Konkan Railway announced 196 trips of summer special trains on its route.

This year Konkan Railway is running 50 more trips as compared to the 146 summer special trips run in Summer 2018. Furthermore, 166 trips of special trains have already been announced for devotees of Lord Ganesha on the occasion of Ganapati Festival 2019.

Source: ANI