SCR gears up to face “Phailin” cyclonic storm

Hyderabad, Oct 12 : With a view to handle the situation arising out of the Phailin Cyclonic Storm hitting the East Coast, the South Central Railway has undertaken concerted efforts to ensure safety and minimize dislocation to train services and avoid inconvenience to passengers to the extent possible within the given conditions.

Activated Emergency Control Rooms have been set up at Rail Nilayam, the Head Quarters of SCR and also at Vijayawada Divisional office. These emergency cells are being manned 24 X 7 by Senior Officials from various departments to closely monitor the situation and immediately initiate necessary action. Special Patrolling of Railway Tracks has been pressed into service on Vijayawada Division especially covering the entire section between Vijayawada and Duvvada near Visakhapatnam.

Special Engineering Trains carrying material including boulders, quarry dust etc., have been kept ready at four locations on Vijayawada Division i.e. at Vijayawada, Bitragunta, Rajahmundry and Vatlur to undertake relief activity in case of need. Senior Engineering Officials have been stationed at Tuni to keep a watch on the situation continuously and take appropriate steps as required. Supervisors have been deputed to travel in locomotives of the trains running on Vijayawada-Visakhapatnam Section so as to keep watch alongside the Railway Tracks, particularly with regard to water level etc.

Watchmen have been posted to monitor the situation at Identified vulnerable locations including bridges, high banks etc., in the interest of safety of track and other installations.

As many as 20 long distance express trains which were to run on Vijayawada-Visakhapatnam-Bhubneshwar have been diverted to run on diverted route from Vijayawada via., Warangal, Ballarshah, Nagpur, Jharsuguda, Kharagpur etc., in view of the conditions prevailing in Odisha Coast.

With a view to help transport the stranded short distance passengers, two special Passenger Trains have been run – one from Vijayawada to Anakapalle and one from Vijayawada to Samalkot.

Help Line Numbers have been activated at 19 Railway Stations covering Vijayawada, Guntur and Secunderabad Divisions to ensure flow of information to passengers on train services. Additional Enquiry Counters and Refund Counters have been opened at all important Stations to cater to the needs of the Passengers. Required catering arrangements have been made at various stations so as to ensure supply of drinking water, food & beverages to Passengers on travel, on account of diversion of trains. INN