india

Updated: May 26, 2019 07:15 IST

Taking into view the safety of passengers, Konkan Railway (KR) has instructed loco pilots to reduce the speed of trains on the route to 40 kilometre per hour (kmph), from an average of 100 kmph, during heavy rainfall. This means outstation trains on Mumbai-Goa or other routes on the KR network will run at 40 kmph during heavy rainfall.

The speed restriction will be imposed from June 10 till October-end, when the KR will implement the monsoon timetable.

Generally, the trains on KR route ply at a speed of 100kmph or above, but it is reduced to 75-90kmph in certain sections during monsoon.

A KR spokesperson said that the decision to reduce the speed was taken as visibility goes down drastically during heavy rainfall and the KR route passes through hilly terrain, prone to landslides and other rain-induced calamities. “Loco pilots have been asked to further bring the speed down to 40kmph, if there is heavy rainfall and visibility is very low,” said LK Verma, chief spokesperson, KR.

The railways will also appoint around 630 personnel for patrolling the route during the monsoon months. At the critical landslide or mudslide-prone locations, watchmen will be deployed for round-the-clock vigil. “Wagon-mounted excavators have been kept ready at all nominated points for quick movement in case of emergency,” Verma said.

A total of 50 passenger trains, apart from goods trains, run via the KR route, which stretches from Kolad in Raigad district to Thokur near Mangalore.

For fast communication during emergency, the Railways has provided mobile phones to loco pilots, station masters and field officials. The train crew has also been provided with walkie-talkies and every station is equipped with a 25-watt VHF base station to enable wireless communication.

“The large scale geo-safety works executed along the railway line over the last 13 years have significantly reduced the number of incidents of boulder-fall and soil slip, thus, ensuring the safe running of trains. No major disruptions to train services have occurred due to boulder-fall during monsoons in the last six years,” he added.

Meanwhile, KR has announced 166 special trains for Ganpati festival.