VIJAYWADA: South Central Railway is on high alert in view of very severe cyclone ‘Vardah’, which made landfall at Chennai Monday afternoon
SCR general manager Vashishta Johri is continuously monitoring the situation and additional general manager AK Gupta is personally supervising the disaster controlling mechanism. A Disaster control room has been set up at Rail Nilayam in Secunderabad.
Emergency control rooms have been opened at Vijayawada and Guntakal divisions, which are being manned by multi-disciplinary team of officers drawn from various departments around the clock.
The railway track situated on Ongole-Gudur, Gudur-Renigunta, Renigunta-Katpadi sections, which are likely to be affected, are being patrolled on foot by engineering staff, including the trackmen and supervisors.
Watchmen are put on guard at identified vulnerable locations like important bridges, cuttings etc to keep a continuous watch on the safety of railway track structure at these locations. Engineering trains loaded with sand, boulders, cement bags and quarry dust etc are kept ready at Rajahmundry, Krishna Canal, Bitragunta, Guntur, Renigunta and Railway Kodur stations for immediate mobilisation, in case of need
Power cars, diesel generators, tower cars, accident relief trains, diesel locos and medical teams have been kept on standby in Guntakal and Vijayawada divisions to immediately undertake relief and restoration activities.
All catering stall contractors and authorized vendors at stations on Vijayawada-Gudur- Renigunta-Guntakal sections and pantry car managers of trains scheduled to run on these routes have been instructed to keep adequate stocks of food items and water to address the needs of the passengers in case of trains getting regulated or diverted.
Help desks have been set up at Vijayawada Railway station to disseminate information on train movement to passengers.
Vijayawada - 0866-2575038
Nellore - 0861-2345864; 07702774104
Gudur - 09704506841
Guntakal - 08852-229780; 09701374086.