Bhubaneswar: With early onset of southwest monsoon this year, the East Coast Railway (ECoR) has ramped up its preparedness measures to ensure uninterrupted train services and passenger safety across flood-prone and vulnerable regions. As part of Indian Railways’ annual monsoon preparedness exercise, ECoR has taken up a range of safety measures including drainage management, real-time weather coordination, and intensified patrolling.
ECoR General Manager Parmeshwar Funkwal has reviewed the preparedness strategy, instructing round-the-clock vigilance and swift response protocols. Some of the crucial steps taken to combat rain-related incidents include removal of silt and vegetation from catch water and side drains to facilitate smooth water flow, clearing waterways of bridges, marking of high-visibility danger levels on bridge piers. In vulnerable routes like Kottavalasa-Kirandul (KK) and Koraput-Rayagada (KR), protective netting, geological inspections, and monitoring systems have been deployed to prevent landslides and rockfalls. Patrolmen and sectional gangmen are stationed in high risk areas while engineering relief vans and essential materials (boulders, sand, ballast) have been pre-positioned to meet any kind of eventuality.
ECoR’s Control Office and Disaster Management Cell are alert 24×7 for quick response to any monsoon-related incidents. The Railways is also coordinating with the Irrigation departments of the states and Regional Meteorological Centres to stay ahead of weather developments and manage dam water releases effectively. These comprehensive measures underline ECoR’s commitment to safe, efficient, and resilient rail operations throughout the monsoon season.
