East Coast Railway has resumed train services immediately after cyclone by transporting essential commodities. It has prepared itself to run passenger carried train services after post cyclone YAAS. This was done due to prior planning and constant touch with ground level staff deputed at different vulnerable sections over the affected areas. Apart from this, Pre-planning and experience from previous cyclones was also helped ECoR for alertness and for speed restoration work. Patrolling of Tracks & Bridges in sensitive areas and pre-cyclone minute to minute planning for restoration thereafter has also helped ECoR for early restoration of train services.
ECoR had also taken steps for NO RISK TO TRAIN TRAFFIC, positioning of Special Teams for early restoration of tracks, signalling system and electrification etc., Safety of Train Operations, to run train, if there will be no electric supply.
Diesel locomotives have been kept in position for utilization during failure of electricity. As Red Alert has been given in coastal areas, ECoR is keeping watchful eye at all the stations between Bhubaneswar & Bhadrak in Bhubaneswar-Kharagpur Railway Section.
General Manager, East Coast Railway had earlier directed the concerned officials to be on full alert towards any incident like flood situation near Railway Track and to ensure safety of trains and smooth train operations.
Accordingly, all precautionary measures have been taken. The catch water drains and side drains have been cleared of silt, vegetation and other obstructions to ensure free flow of rain water. The water ways of bridges have been cleared of vegetation and other obstructions.
PATROLLING OF TRACKS and BRIDGES:
Patrolling of tracks was made to check for damages like submersion of tracks or breaches on Train line due to heavy rain at different sensitive locations of cyclone affected areas. After the cyclone, the Team deputed for track restoration at different places checked the track and bridge position and restored the tracks at the earliest where water was logging and clearing heaps of mud from the railway track.
PLACEMENT OF TOWER WAGONS & ELECTRICITY:
Tower Wagons were placed ready at different places before cyclone and inspection and minor repairing works made through Tower wagons done quickly after the cyclone where the speedy winds had their effect on overhead electrification cables. Detailed track and OHE inspection was conducted in affected section of Jajpur Keonjhar Road-Ranital section, Bhadrak-Dhamra Port section, Cuttack-Paradip section and Haridaspur-Paradip section of the Division and no major damage to the Railway property has been reported. Over Head Electrification inspection and rectification was completed before evening.
SIGNALLING & TELECOMMUNICATION:
The team of Signalling & Telecommunicaton Staff of East Coast Railway were placed at sensitive locations before the cyclone and have checked the Signalling System and Panel Works at the earliest. Apart from this, VHF and other facilities were made available with the teams for better connectivity if existing communication system would have failed.
PRIORITY FOR RAIL-PORT CONNECTIVITY:
The Railway stations like Bhadrak, Jajpur Keonjhar Road, Paradeep Port and Dhamra Port etc., were put on high alert where heavy rainfall and speed wind was experienced during the cyclone. Port-Railway operations at both locations were resumed by late evening after completing inspections of their loading and unloading machinery and tracks.
CRISIS MANAGEMENT & ROUND THE CLOCK CONTROL OFFICE
Crisis Management Team of ECoR headquarters consisting of senior Officers were continuously monitoring the impact of the cyclone from the Emergency Control Room setup at HQ. Ground level staff were sent to the field quickly, so that restoration work could start on war footing basis after cyclone. Divisional officers at Khurda Road were continuously monitoring the impact of the cyclone at all stations between Bhubaneswar & Bhadrak and accordingly, restoration works were planned.
RESUMPTION OF TRAIN SERVICES
Railways have decided to resume some of the Special Train services which were cancelled in view of Cyclone. In view of improvement in situation caused by Cyclone-YAAS and after reviewing the feasibility and safety of train operations, it was decided to run Goods Trains from yesterday evening, just after cyclone. Passenger carried trains has been resumed from today afternoon on normal path/route which were earlier declared as cancelled due to cyclone