GUWAHATI: For the forthcoming monsoon season, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has taken a number of preventative measures to prepare for any unforeseen incidents.
The NFR's 6,400 kilometers of railway tracks, which span the northeastern states of Assam, Tripura, Manipur, and portions of West Bengal and Bihar, were mobilized over their full jurisdiction in recent months.
The NF Railway runs through challenging terrain along the foothills of the Lower Himalayan peaks, sculpted by raging streams and nourished by rainfall that can be as much as 7,000 millimeters per year at its heaviest.
Landslides, rain cuts in embankments, and bridge overflows frequently happen as a result of severe rain.
A thorough plan has been established to guarantee that the tracks are safeguarded and maintained in good condition so that passenger safety is not jeopardized.
The NFR has developed a thorough rail track safety strategy to address this issue.
As part of the monsoon preparations, materials in sensitive locations have been collected, the drainage system has been cleaned, bridge waterways have been cleaned, and hazard levels have been marked.
The NF Railway has assigned patrolling crews to regularly monitor the more than 6,400 km of lines under its control for any problem that may develop due to a severe downpour even if all preventative precautions have been taken. Teams of patrollers have been put in place to keep the railway tracks secure. Based on the Meteorological Department's rain alerts, this staff keeps watch on the tracks.
These teams are outfitted with the most modern and up-to-date tools, including GPS trackers, luminous jackets, raincoats, separate waterproof pants, safety helmets, safety shoe highs, and strong search spotlights.
Each patrolling team now has a mobile phone so they can communicate any circumstance that can interfere with the regular operation of trains to the nearest railway station.
Despite the precautions that are taken, landslides, embankment breaches, and bridge washes out do occasionally happen.
In order to address any emergency needs, more than 7000 cubic meters (cu m) of rocks and stones are stored and loaded in wagons at various places.
Additionally, as a reserve for the monsoon, around 27,300 cu m of boulders, 12,600 cu m of quarry dust, and 3,000 cu m of silt are stored on the ground.
Although it is difficult to forecast and prevent a natural disaster, the NFR is adequately equipped to handle the difficulties brought on by the region's significant rainfall during the monsoon season in order to maintain all-weather connectivity and passengers' safety.
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