KONKAN RAILWAY CARRIES OUT VARIOUS GEO-SAFETY WORKS TO ENSURE SAFETY & SECURITY OF PASSENGERS AS WELL AS PUNCTUALITY OF TRAINS DURING THE MONSOON SEASON.

Konkan Railway is always committed to the cause of Safety and Security of its Esteemed Passengers. In order to ensure safety measures before the onset of monsoon, as also to stabilize the cuttings and make the track safe to travel, KRCL has carried out various Geo-Safety Works on its route as a precautionary measures prior to on-set of monsoon this year.

The intensity of rainfall is very high on KR region. The annual average rainfall is 3500 – 4500mm with intensity of rainfall frequently exceeding 80mm per hour.

The lateritic rocks, with the lethomargic clay combinations is having constant geological change, and the experience has been that the deep cutting slopes become unstable under the heavy rainfall conditions. Since then efforts are being made to regularly inspect the vulnerable spots and stabilize them by carrying out various Geo-Safety works. Multi disciplinary Expert Committees had been appointed to address the issue. Based on the recommendations of the expert committees / teams, essential works have been identified and completed since the commissioning of Railway line.

KRCL has continuously been executing the following Geo-tech safety works to stabilize the cuttings. The main Geo-tech safety works already done are:

• Easing of slopes by providing berms and flattening of deep cuttings slopes and protecting slopes by plantation to prevent soil erosion.

• Providing steel boulder netting as isolated boulder fall prevention measures in cuttings.

• Loose scaling, Shot creting and rock bolting of tunnels.

• Providing RCC retaining wall and Gabion wall.

• Providing micro piling & soil nailing.

• Providing side drains and catch water drain lining etc.

The incidences of boulder fall/soil slips have been reduced considerably after completing flattening of deep cutting slopes, rock bolting / shotcreting of tunnels, construction of lined catchwater drains etc. As of now 87 nos of cuttings have been completed.

The total expenditure for the period from 1999 to April 2013 incurred towards the various Geo – Tech safety works on Konkan Railway is approximately Rs.292.52 Crores.

GROUND SETTLEMENT AT NIVSAR STATION YARD.

KRCL has successfully tackled the problem of Ground settlement at Nivsar Station Yard which was a bottle neck in smooth running of traffic. KRCL had tackled the problem by providing a diversion line at Nivsar Station yard before monsoon 2011.

Thereafter, there was no unusual occurrence of ground settlement during the last year and the traffic has been running uninterrupted since then.

POMENDI CUTTING :

Pomendi cutting is one of the vulnerable cutting in Ratnagiri region. The depth of the cutting is more than 45 metres. KRCL approached Technical Expert Committees to help resolve the difficulties faced at Pomendi cutting. Accordingly as per the recommendations of the Expert Committees various Geo tech safety works were carried out which included widening of the deep cutting slopes by providing berms, concrete lined Catch water drains, Berm water drains, cross drains, side drains, Retaining wall, grass plantation to help preventing soil erosion etc. for making the slopes stable.

Approximately 3 lacs cum of Earthwork was executed and approximately 1200 cum of concrete lining is done and no unusual observed during monsoon 2012.

This year all the requisite monsoon precautionary works have been executed to avoid any unusual/ landslides at Pomendi Cutting.

Other than the above, following additional safety precautions have been taken

• Patrolling of unlined portion of tunnels round the clock and throughout the year is being done.

• A system has been developed in getting advance weather warning messages from regional meteorological centers for adopting preventive measures to ensure safety of trains.

• Additional control offices have been set up at Ratnagiri and Karwar for immediate and timely attention to emergent situations.

• Monsoon patrolling (block section to block section) is done during monsoons.

• Watchmen are posted at vulnerable locations i .e at identified cutting, bridges and embankments.

• Adequate stock of reserve material has been made available for tackling monsoon emergencies.

• One excavator mounted on BFR has been kept at Ratnagiri and Verna to attend to any cases of soil slippage/boulder fall if any during monsoon for immediate restoration of traffic.

• Necessary liaison is also maintained with the concerned State Govt. Authorities so that release of excess water from reservoirs/dams/bunds no not affect the Railway Traffic.

• Konkan Railway implements a monsoon time table on its route to ensure smooth train operations during rainy season.

Konkan Railway has spent about 26 Crores for the geo-tech safety works during the current year. It can thus be seen that all out efforts have been made by KRCL for ensuring the safety and punctuality of the running train so as to render utmost comfort to the public travelling on KRCL route.