BHUBANESWAR:The East Coast Railway (ECoR) has planned precautionary measures to improve safety of trains, disruption-free services and minimise the effects of heavy rainfall during monsoon.
ECoR General Manager Umesh Singh has directed officials to remain alert for any incident caused by monsoon rain and flood situation near railway tracks for safety of passengers and smooth operations.
While catch water drains, side drains and waterways of bridges have been cleared of silt, vegetation and other obstructions to ensure free flow of rain water, meetings have been conducted with irrigation officials and drainage works and repairs carried out wherever necessary. Full Supply Level (FSL) of canals and Danger Level (DL) of bridges have been painted with bright red band across each pier adjacent to the abutment so that those can be clearly visible to the patrolman, stationery watchman and drivers.
Officials have been asked to stock sufficient quantities of monsoon reserve materials, including boulders, sand, cinder, quarry dust and ballast at identified locations. The Engineering relief vans and their equipment are kept ready along with CC cribs and relieving girders so that they can be moved immediately as per requirement.
“ECoR is in constant touch with India Meteorological Department and on getting weather alerts, proper mobilisation will be done to meet the situations. Officers, supervisors and staff have been alerted for attending to the monsoon emergencies,” Singh said.
Antyodaya Express from June 4
The Ministry of Railways has decided to introduce Santragachhi-Chennai Central weekly Antyodaya Express from June 4. While the train will be flagged off from Howrah at 3 pm and will run as a special train upto Chennai, its regular run will commence from Chennai on every Wednesday from June 6 and from Santragachhi on every Monday from June 11.The Antyodaya Express will leave Santragachhi at 7 pm on every Monday and arrive at Chennai Central at 10.45 pm on the following day. It will leave Chennai Central at 8.10 am every Wednesday and reach Santragachhi at 10.25 am next day.