SWIFT RESTORATION BY SER HELPED TO NORMALIZE TRAIN MOVEMENT AFTER CYCLONE ‘YAAS

Kolkata,

South Eastern Railway normalized train movement immediately after getting clear weather and swift completion of restoration process.   The first train services were resumed at 16.30 hrs on 26th May evening. All mainlines were made fit on war footing, within 11 hrs of landfall of “YAAS” at the coastal area of Bay of Bengal in SER territory. Inputs of downstream damages behind the tail of the cyclone in Chakradharpur and Ranchi divisions due to high wind speeds and very heavy rainfall are still coming in as the depression moved over Jharkhand.

As a precautionary measure considering safety of the passengers all Coaching services over Kharagpur division were stopped since 18:00 hrs on 24.5.2021 in view of Cyclone YAAS. This involved cancellation of all trains passing through Kharagpur – Bhadrak and Kharagpur – Howrah section. But there was no disruption for despatching Oxygen Express in this stormy situation.

To avoid untoward incident during cyclone, Goods trains in Kharagpur – Bhadrak section were stopped from 00:00 hrs on 26.5.2021 and those in Kharagpur – Tatanagar section were stopped from 05:00 hrs on 26.5.2021.

No goods train was allowed to stable in Kharagpur – Ranital, Panskura-Haldia-Digha and Kharagpur-Tatanagar sections to minimize the impact of Cyclone. All loaded rakes were evacuated from Haldia port by 21:00 hrs on 25.5.2021 to ensure no damage to Railway stocks due to Cyclonic weather.

At around 15:00 hrs after the passage of Cyclone from Balasore – Bhadrak area restoration work started in the division. Sections of Tatanagar – Kharagpur and Kharagpur – Howrah were restored first at 16:00 hrs.

Fitness of entire Kharagpur – Bhadrak section was given at 20:10 hrs, even though fitness between Kharagpur and Baleswar was given earlier. Thus, normal traffic of entire division was restored within the fastest possible time.

Apparently there was no damage to track or Bridges. At two stations, Rupsa and Shalimar, PF sheds were damaged. Some uprooted trees had to be cut in between Soro and Markona, since these were on the track. Several tree branches were removed from Over Head Wire (OHE), throughout the section between Jaleswar and Ranital.

There was no major OHE damage during the cyclone, since OHE power was switched off. Also, prior to cyclone, many trees were trimmed, which reduced the damage to OHE. Severe water logging resulted in tardy terminal performance in Dangoaposi and Barsuan Area in Chakradharpur division and in Haldia of Kharagpur Division.

The situation at Chakradharpur and Ranchi division so far under control though heavy rain has been reported from both the divisions of Jharkhand.  Loading is being affected as water logging has been witnessed specially in iron ore loading sectors. Divisions are made alert to tackle any situation due to this inclement weather.