WR to monitor Mithi, Dahisar river levels during monsoons

Western Railway monitors river levels with pulse radar machine every 15 mins to prevent flooding. Central Railway waterproofs 231 flood-prone points to ensure smooth train operations.

Mumbai: In a first, the Western Railway (WR) will monitor the railway lines passing over Mithi and Dahisar rivers using a pulse radar monitoring machine that will apprise the level of water every 15 minutes. This is crucial, especially during the monsoon, to take appropriate action when the water level reaches the threshold limit.

To remotely monitor the continuous river level, WR has installed four pulse radar-based water level monitoring instruments with an Intelligent Field Device at vulnerable bridge.

Meanwhile, the Central Railway (CR) has waterproofed 231 flood-prone points where trains change rail lines. Usually, due to water logging, the points fail, which leads to failure in signals and stoppage of trains.

New monitoring system in WR

This monsoon, the WR authorities have installed an intelligent bridge water level monitoring system. According to sources, earlier water levels were observed manually based on the marking on bridge piers.

To remotely monitor the continuous river level, WR has installed four pulse radar-based water level monitoring instruments with an Intelligent Field Device at vulnerable bridges. The cost of each unit is ₹4 lakh.

“This device communicates with the water level monitoring instrument and transmits the water level data every 15 minutes via GPRS to a central server. We can monitor the water level from anywhere, anytime over a simple Internet browser,” explained a WR official.

SMS alerts based on various thresholds of regular level, danger level or high flood level are also sent to officials. These SMS are sent every 12 hours normally and every hour when water passes the ‘danger’ level indicating the bridge name and number and the height of water reached. There are eight automated digital rain gauge recorders installed between Churchgate-Virar to monitor hourly rainfall data.

CR waterproofs flood-prone lines

The CR authorities have modified the point machines to prevent failures due to waterlogging. Sources said this has been implemented at 231 flood-prone locations across the Main and Harbour lines. “The reduction in point machine failures during flooding significantly improves operational efficiency, and the need to halt train services is not required. The modifications to the point machine cover ensure their effective functioning even in severe weather conditions,” said a CR official.

CR has also identified 24 vulnerable locations and has been equipped with 192 pumps. Works of micro tunnelling at Vikhroli-Kanjurmarg, Kanjurmarg, and Sion are also completed. “We have completed desilting and cleaning of 119.82 km of drains, and all 156 culverts have been cleaned, and a few augmented with RCC box at Kurla-Trombay, Chunabhatti, Wadala Road, Vidyavihar-LTT, and Tilak Nagar,” said another CR official.

In total, 1.55 lakh cubic meters of muck have been collected from May to June, 157 rakes are sealed from leakages during monsoon, and over 6,000 trees have been trimmed.