VIJAYAWADA: South Central Railway (SCR) Vijayawada Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Narendra A Patil convened an emergency meeting with Branch Officers on Monday to address the challenges posed by flooding in the region and to restore railway operations soon.
During the meeting, the DRM reviewed the situation of waterlogged installations, depots, and satellite stations in the division through a PowerPoint presentation. The meeting focused on assessing damage, restoring rail operations, and implementing flood management measures.
He also reported that a total of 275 trains were cancelled, 149 trains were diverted, and 12 trains were partially cancelled following breaches in the Kazipet-Vijayawada section due to heavy inflow of water.
Patil directed officials to assess the damage and develop a contingency plan for swift restoration. He asked them to proactively inspect potential breaches, prevent disruptions, monitor water levels at major bridges, and identify areas where heavy inflow was affecting the tracks.
Officials were instructed to coordinate with SDRF and NDRF teams and the State administration for evacuation measures. They were asked to provide special catering arrangements for diverted and partially cancelled trains and to contact stranded staff residing in Singh Nagar, Bhavanipuram, and other areas.
The DRM and a team of Railway Engineering Officials inspected the Krishna Bridge due to heavy inflow from the upper catchment area. He assessed the water levels underneath the railway bridge and reviewed the speed restrictions currently in place. He directed the engineering officials to deploy staff around the clock at the three bridges to assess the ground situation and continuously monitor water inflow.
Patil stated that dedicated teams are continuously working at the Command Control Office in Vijayawada to monitor the situation in real-time, and special help desks have been set up across major stations in the division to assist passengers with information on train cancellations and diversions.
He expressed solidarity with the staff and their families affected by the flooding and assured them of the administration’s commitment to support them through this difficult period.