PUNE: Over 200 personnel have been deployed at the southeast and northeast ghat sections of the Central Railway (CR) on 24x7 patrol duty to alert the authorities to likelihood of landslides, officials told TOI.
Many parts of the state are expected to witness heavy rainfall during the next two days as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast.
“Beat as well as static patrolmen have been deployed at Karjat-Lonavla (southeast) and the Kasara ghat (northeast) sections. The beat patrolmen’s job is important as they move in ghat areas of 4-5km each, studying the mountains and rocks. If they see a loose boulder or heavy water flow, they immediately send an alert, and necessary action is initiated,” a senior CR official said.
Altogether 21 spots in the southeast section and 12 spots in the northeast section have been identified as landslide prone, the official said, adding that three more spots in the southeast and four new spots in the northeast section, have also been identified.
“There is a network of 140 CCTV cameras connected to the nearby stations and cabins. The alertness level is at the highest, ” the official added.
“The stretch between Thakurwadi station and Monkey Hill in the southeast section is being studied by the Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL). They have suggested some improvements in the tunnels. The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay, is studying the railway tunnels falling under the Mumbai division. ” another CR official said.
