CR plans to take IMD help to make monsoon train timetable

On August 29 last year, the tracks had up to 12 inches of water making train movement difficult. Last year, rainwater from the city had also entered the tracks, which further delayed services, railway officials said. (Express Photo by Nirmal Harindran/Image used for representational purpose)  

The Central Railway (CR) plans to ask the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to help with rain forecast so that train services can be planned accordingly. If IMD predicts heavy rain for the next day, the CR would to run less number of train services. “We have planned to approach the IMD to help us with rainfall prediction for the next day. If they predict high tide or very high rainfall for the next day, we will run reduced number of train services. Compared to the 1,732 services, we will run 1,384 as on Sundays. Suitable announcements would be made to make passengers aware of the reduced number of train services,” S K Jain, the Divisional Railway Manager, Mumbai Division, CR said.

The development comes after 45 rakes of the CR got marooned during heavy rain on August 29 last year. Commuters using suburban trains on the CR were stranded after services were disrupted near Sion on the main line and Chunabhatti on the Harbor Line. “We were unable to run complete services as so many rakes were marooned. It took us at least five days to repair the rakes. Instead of losing out on five days of services, we plan to observe caution on the days when it rains heavily,” a senior CR official said. Tracks on CR get waterlogged up to eight inches during heavy rains, sources said.

On August 29 last year, the tracks had up to 12 inches of water making train movement difficult. Last year, rainwater from the city had also entered the tracks, which further delayed services, railway officials said. “We have installed two high-capacity pumps at low-lying locations to ensure more water gets pumped out of the tracks in lesser time. While we have taken up additional preventive measures, co-operation with the IMD would be aimed to control the damage caused,” a senior railway official said.

A meeting between the IMD and CR is scheduled on Tuesday. “If it does not rain heavily, according to forecast, we will run the services as planned for the day. We will make suitable announcements through the public relations department,” a railway official said. During heavy rain last year, services on the Western Railway (WR) were disrupted at Elphinstone Road station. Speaking about the monsoon plan, a senior WR official said: “We have taken enough measures to ensure train services are not stopped during monsoons. But it will depend on the rainfall on a particular day.”

Subhash Gupta, a railway activist, said: “The decision can have a backlash if IMD fails to make the correct prediction. Informing commuters about reduced train services during monsoons will create a panic situation and people might look for alternative modes of transportation. The railways should instead improve track conditions and ensure that train services do not stop during the rains.”