The torrential rains that battered northern Tamil Nadu, particularly Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts, has cost Southern Railway a whopping loss of Rs. 115 crore.
The sudden floods breached railway track and bridges resulting in the cancellation of 140 trains. Braving inclement weather conditions, railway engineers restored traffic in a record time of three days.
According to railway sources, the flood caused unprecedented damage to the Adyar bridge located between Saidapet and Guindy railway stations. The velocity of running water was so high that four girders, each weighing 300 tonne, were displaced by two feet. The gushing water eroded the foundation of peers causing a cavity of at least four feet.
“We deployed the best of manpower and equipment to repair the bridge in just three days. Amid heavy downpour, the team worked 24/7 and restored traffic. While the loss due to cancellation of trains is estimated at Rs. 90 crore, the cost of repairing bridges and tracks worked out to Rs. 25 crore,” Chief Bridge Engineer, Southern Railway, M. Suyambulingam told The Hindu on Friday.
Advanced engineering gadgets, including the ‘echo sounder,’ was put to use to ascertain the strength of peers before traffic was resumed. As part of the disaster management plan, the railway had introduced monsoon patrolling and stationed emergency response teams strategically. About 600-km stretch of railway track is considered flood-prone across the zone, mainly in coastal districts.
“Chennai Division recorded 1,020 mm of rainfall in November 2015, compared to 310 mm during the corresponding period last year. We were aware of the heavy rainfall and prepared for the flood situation…but the sudden deluge was not anticipated. Timely alert given by emergency staff helped in averting major accidents,” he said.
Immediately after the flood breached the railway tracks, Southern Railway General Manager Vashista Johri formed a special team under the direct supervision of Principal Chief Engineer S.S. Gupta to restore normal traffic. While monsoon reserve materials were moved from Tiruchi, underwater inspection divers from Kannur were roped in for the challenging task, he said.
Plastics did damage
Mr. Suyambulingam said plastic waste accumulated in waterways caused heavy congestion resulting in breach of track between Chengalpet and Villuppuram.
Despite periodic cleaning by engineering staff and contractors, the plastic waste washed from other places piled up at the bridge and remained an obstacle to water flow. Many trains could not be cleaned and hence not cleared for operation due to flooding of the railway yard at the Basin Bridge Junction and Egmore.
‘Railway engineers restored normal traffic in a
record time of three days’
