Drains along tracks helped WR keep trains running through rain

INSTALLATION OF PIPES, DRAINS WAS DONE BETWEEN GRANT ROAD AND BANDRA; VIRAR AND GOREGAON, AND DADAR AND MAHIM STATIONS

MUMBAI: Drains with new pipelines measuring 1,780m alongside the railway tracks, helped the Western Railway (WR) avert waterlogging at three crucial spots this monsoon. It helped the WR operate the suburban locals uninterrupted last week despite the heavy rainfall.

The WR constructed drains, retaining walls and installed 1,780 metres of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes alongside the railway tracks. The installation of pipes and construction of drains was done between Grant Road and Bandra; Virar and Goregaon and Dadar and Mahim railway stations.

First-of-its-kind on the Western Railway, the installation of HDPE pipes along with tracks helped in pumping out water from the tracks during heavy rainfall last week.

On the Grant Road and Bandra railway section, the zonal railway has installed 460 meters of HDPE pipe and constructed an 800 meters drain. Between Dadar-matunga and Mahim 680 meters of HDPE pipe has been inserted and 500 meters of the drain is constructed along the railway tracks.

On the Virar and Goregaon section, 580 meters of HDPE pipes along with three retaining walls are constructed.

“The small techniques have helped us a lot in avoiding waterlogging on critical locations throughout last week heavy rains. With the installation and construction, the water pumping capacity at each location has been increased. The capacity has increased up to 320% between Grant Road and Bandra, 280% between Virar and Goregaon and 300% between Dadar-matunga and Mahim railway stations,” said a senior WR official.

In 2020, due to waterlogging instances owing to heavy rainfall train services on the WR were suspended during the monsoon.

In 2018, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) had to rescue 1,000 passengers who got stuck in outstation trains due to waterlogging between Nallasopara and Vasai railway stations.