HEAVY RAIN during the past two days once again caught the railway authorities on the wrong foot.
Most of the tracks became water-logged for about two to three hours and the circuit controlling the movement of trains of platform number 3 failed on Friday.
However luckily, the circuit failure did not lead to delay of trains this time around.
Insiders claim that improper cleaning of the drainage system at the Allahabad Junction Railway station is one of the causes for the routine circuit failures. "As the drainage system is not cleaned properly, the accumulated filth chokes the sewer lines and whenever there is water-logging the chances of track circuit failure increase manifold," they claimed.
Sources further said that in the event of track circuit failure, the signal constantly emits a red warning light. And as that happens the trains get detained.
"However, the passengers were lucky enough this time, as the train had already left the station when the track circuit failure of platform number 3 occurred", added sources.
It may be mentioned that General Manager of the North Central Railway (NCR) convening the principal officers meeting on July 19, 2006, had issued directions to the officials concerned to take the cause of track circuit failures into serious consideration. But, it seems that concrete steps are not being taken in this regard.
{{/usCountry}}It may be mentioned that General Manager of the North Central Railway (NCR) convening the principal officers meeting on July 19, 2006, had issued directions to the officials concerned to take the cause of track circuit failures into serious consideration. But, it seems that concrete steps are not being taken in this regard.
{{/usCountry}}Besides affecting the tracks, the recent rain also led to water-logging in patches on the platforms and thus causing great inconveniences to the railway passengers who had to wait on the platforms for hours for the train to arrive.
The worst affected were platform number 1,3,7 and 8, said sources. The insiders informed that rain water pipe has not been cleaned yet, due to which water-logging takes place on platforms.
On being contacted, Chief Public Relation Officer NCR BP Pandey claimed that track circuit failure on platform number 3 was not due to water-logging. "There might have been some other reason for failure of track circuit. If water-logging was the sole cause for the failure of circuit then it would have affected all the track circuit and not just one, as there is an interlocking system in place."
Regular checks in regard to upkeep of track signal system have been intensified, added CPRO.