Mangaluru: Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd. has geared up for the monsoon season in the coastal region between Kolad (after Roha station of Central Railway) and Thokur (before Mangaluru) by completing all its planned safety works.

A release from KRCL said special attention has been paid to catch-water drain cleaning and inspection of cuttings. As a result of the large-scale geo-safety works executed along the railway line in past 10 to 12 years, incidence of boulder fall and soil slip has significantly reduced, thus ensuring safe running of trains. According to KRCL, there has been no major disruption of train services on account of boulder fall during monsoon in the past five years.

The KRCL plans to conduct monsoon patrolling as per the provisions of the Indian Railway Permanent Way Manual to ensure safe running of trains. As many as 770 workers will patrol the route during monsoon. Vulnerable locations will be under watch round the clock while stationary watchmen will be deployed for 24 hours at critical locations. Speed restrictions will be imposed at vulnerable locations. BRN-mounted excavators have been kept ready at all nominated points for quick movement in case of emergency.

The corporation said instructions have also been given to loco pilots to run trains at a reduced speed of 40 kmph in case of heavy rainfall when visibility is limited. Self-propelled ARMVs (Accident Relief Medical Van), with provision of operation theatre and providing emergency medical aid, have been kept ready all the time at Ratnagiri and Verna (Goa) along with ART (Accident Relief Train).

Loco pilots, station masters and other field staff have been provided with mobile phones. Both loco pilots and train guards have been given walkie-talkie sets even as every station on Konkan Railway route has been equipped with a 25W VHF base station.

This enables wireless communication among the train crew and between the crew and the station master. Emergency Communication (EMC) sockets have been provided at an average distance of 1 km along the Konkan Railway route to enable patrolmen, watchmen, loco pilots, guards, and other field maintenance staff to contact the station master and train controllers during emergencies.

Satellite phone communication has been provided in ARMV for emergency contact when ARMV is pressed into service. All main signal aspects on Konkan Railway (2,344 in number) have now been replaced with LED for improving signal visibility.

Three control rooms at Belapur, Ratnagiri, and Madgaon will work 24×7 to ensure safe running of trains. Passengers can check train status on www.konkanrailway.com or dial 139.

The monsoon timetable will be in effect from June 10 to October 31. Passengers who have been issued journey tickets prior to the announcement of the monsoon timetable may check the timings of their trains well in advance as the departure timings of some trains will be advanced.