Mumbai: The Central Railway (CR) is planning a monsoon timetable, where they will run fewer services on certain days when flooding is predicted.
On days when heavy showers are expected along with high tide and neap tide, and when the difference between high tide and low tide is very less, the CR is planning to run its Sunday schedule in the suburban section. On Sundays, the CR runs 1,384 services against 1,732 on other days.
S.K. Jain, Divisional Railway Manager, Mumbai Division, said the number of services during peak hours will not be affected. This year, there will be 24 high-tide days: six each in June, July, August and September. The first high-tide day will be on June 13, while the highest tide will be at 4.97 metres on July 15. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation will also list the number of neap-tide days. The flooding on August 29, 2017, was caused on a neap-tide day.
“This initiative will ensure that there are fewer locals marooned on days when there is flooding. If the forecast changes and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) says rain will not be as heavy as predicted, we will revert to our weekday schedule,” Mr. Jain said. Railway officials will be meeting IMD officials next week to discuss the plan. Mr. Jain said the timetable will be introduced in phases. “We will see what the commuter response is in the first few weeks.”
The CR is planning a slew of measures to tackle waterlogging on railway tracks, which include installation of two pumps with a capacity of 1,000 cubic metres at Kurla and Sion. “After the flooding on August 29, last year, we were running full services. However, we had to use several spare rakes. Forty-five rakes were affected, and it took around five days to re-introduce them,” Mr. Jain said.
