Better safety provisions made in Kasara, Khandala Ghats this year: Central Railway

Mumbai, June 13 (PTI) The Central Railway (CR) on Thursday said it has made better provisions this year in Kasara and Khandala `Ghat' (hilly) sections of its routes to ensure safe movement of trains across the Sahyadris during monsoon.

The two sections have witnessed frequent landslides, boulder falls and track washout incidents during monsoons in the last few years, it noted in a release here.

While the Kasara or Thal Ghat links Mumbai with Nashik and northern and eastern India, the Khandala or Bhor Ghat links the financial capital of the country with Pune and southern parts of the country.

"Central Railway is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring seamless and safe train operations on its Ghat sections and across its extensive network for the benefit and safety of passengers," the CR release stated.

About 450 meters of Canadian fencing was erected this year, against 40 meters in 2023, to arrest boulders/muck slide while allowing water flow, and around 60,000 square meters of boulder netting was laid, against 500 square meters last year, it said.

A new catchwater drain of 1200 meters in length was built this year, against a 160 meters long drain built last year, to guide the rainwater flow in Ghat sections, and tunnel portals were extended by 170 meters against 45 meters in 2023, the release said.

It further said that about 650 meters of dynamic rockfall barrier has been put up to catch detached rock mass falling from the hills as against 300 meters in 2023.

Boulder catching sumps have been constructed at 13 locations.

"In addition, hill gangs have been pressed into operation to perform duties like tunnel sounding, extensive scanning of the Ghat sections and cleaning of waterways and vegetation," the release stated, adding that special training was organized for these teams.

These measures were planned and executed in consultation with experts from IIT Mumbai and Konkan Railway Corporation Limited, it said.

Absence of road access, high rocky hills, space constraints for unloading and placing of machines at the site were some of the practical difficulties faced during work in Ghat sections, the release noted.

Both the Thal Ghat near Kasara station in Thane district and Bhor Ghat close to Karjat station in Raigad district have a gradient of 1:37 (for every 37-metre run, a rise of one metre). These are among the steepest and toughest mountainous railway sections in the country.

Barring Vande Bharat Express trains, all passenger and goods trains need `bankers' or additional locomotives for extra push in the rear from the Mumbai side when passing through these Ghats. PTI KK KRK