Get safety walls, barriers on CR’s Mumbai-Pune route: Swiss expert

An expert consultant from Switzerland has advised Central Railway (CR) to build additional safety cover on all existing tunnels in its ghats section as well as barriers

An expert consultant from Switzerland has advised Central Railway (CR) to build additional safety cover on all existing tunnels in its ghats section as well as barriers and retaining walls along the entire Mumbai-Pune route.

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Following heavy rainfall earlier this month, several sections along this route witnessed boulder falls and landslides that damaged tracks and railway tunnels.

On Wednesday, CR started repairing the tunnel between Thakurwadi and Monkey Hill railway stations, just days after restoring the Mumbai-Pune route. The safety linings on the tunnel’s interiors and exteriors will begin after the monsoon.

A senior CR official said the Swiss consultant had earlier helped with the layout of a railway line in Jammu and came with the expertise of track construction in difficult terrain. “He has suggested for additional cover alongside hilly areas as well as protective barriers against boulder falls,” the official said.

Presently, has placed a net and steel barriers over the damaged tunnel portion between Thakurwadi and Monkey Hill stations.

The official also said the railways has started work on strengthening the retaining walls along the ghat section and will be constructing more walls and protection barriers as suggested by the expert.

As part of a long-term measure, CR also plans to construct a 5-km tunnel along this route. According to sources, this plan is likely to be announced during the Union budget next year.

Trains from Mumbai to Pune were suspended for 12 days earlier this month, owing to heavy rainfall, landslides and boulder falls between Thakurwadi and Monkey Hill railway stations.

Earlier, CR had also consulted railway engineers from the Konkan division as well as its former general manager, Subodh Jain for mitigating natural disasters on this route.