Breaches

General precautions to be taken before monsoon –

It is necessary to take certain precautions, and carry out certain essential works

before the commencement of monsoon, such as

(1) All catch water drains and side drains must be cleared of silt, vegetation and other obstructions to ensure free flow and quick drainage of storm water. The waterways of bridges must be cleared of vegetation and other obstructions. If silting is noticed in some spans, it should be removed to ensure that the full waterways is available for the discharge of flood water. During desilting, care should be taken to remove the silt only upto the bed level.

(2) Protective and river training works must be maintained in good condition and

repairs carried out wherever necessary. Scour holes should be filled with boulders.

(3) The High Flood Level (HFL), Full Supply Level (FSL) in the case of canals, and Danger Level (DL) must be painted. The danger level mark shall be painted with bright red band across each pier adjacent to the abutment so as to be clearly visible to the Patrolmen, Special Watchmen and Drivers. Flood gauges shall be painted on important bridges as specified.

(4) Water shall not be allowed to stagnate on the track. For this purpose, cross drains should be provided at regular intervals. In yards, cross drains and longitudinal drains should be cleared/provided to proper grades.

(5) In hilly areas, where there is incidence of falling boulders, a survey should be carried out to locate loose boulders. Such loose boulders should be dropped in a systematic manner.

(6) Selection of Patrolman and Watchman should be made in and they must be trained and tested for their knowledge of rules. The duties to be performed by them should be clearly explained to them. The equipment of Patrolmen and other watchman shall be complete in all respects.

(7) Spare trolleys should be kept in readiness at the headquarters of the Permanent Way Inspector and at other stations in the proximity of vulnerable locations. Motor Trolley must be overhauled and kept in fit condition.

(8) Rivers in the upstream reaches should be inspected for guarding against possible change in water course.

(9) The prescribed reserve stock of boulders, empty cement bags, wire netting and sand/quarry dust should be kept at specified locations for rushing to site, in case of emergency and should be made good, in case of deficiency.

(10) Action should be taken as envisaged in the case of Railway affecting works.

(11) The temporary Engineering indicators must be painted and kept ready for use.

(12) The rain gauges should be inspected before the monsoon and it should be ensured that they are in perfect working condition.

(13) Vulnerable locations/kilometerages should be reviewed jointly by the Assistant Engineers and Divisional Engineers and on the basis of past history and pre monsoon inspections and the register of vulnerable locations should be brought up-to-date.

Railway Affecting Works (including Railway Affecting Tanks) –

(1) Definition – The term “Railway affecting Work” may broadly be taken to mean any work which if not constructed and maintained properly, or not operated

properly may result in danger to Railway Line (Bridge/ embankment). This may include tanks, storage works, canals, bunds, etc.

(2) Register of Railway affecting works – The Divisional Engineer/ Assistant Engineer will maintain an up-to-date list of Railway affecting works as jointly approved by the Railway and the state Government. The list shall invariably show the particulars of state Authority responsible for maintenance of each railway affecting work.

(3) Inspection of Railway affecting tanks – Where as per current practice the Public Works or Revenue Department forwards to the Divisional Engineer every year, their inspection reports on the condition of these tanks which are classified as Railway affecting, action should be taken as follows:–

(a) The Divisional Engineer should peruse the reports carefully and mark those tanks which he considers are not in satisfactory state of repair. He should then forward the reports to the Assistant Engineer with instructions that the tanks so marked should be inspected and reported on.

(b) The Assistant Engineer should inspect those tanks and report to the Divisional Engineer details of the action being taken by the Public Works or Revenue Department. The Divisional Engineer should prevail on the authorities concerned to carry out all necessary repairs before the ensuing monsoon.

(c) Copies of the inspection notes of ‘Railway Affecting’ tanks as received from the Public Works or Revenue Department with particulars of date of inspection and notes of action taken or proposed by him should be included in the Register of Railway Affecting Works maintained by the Assistant Engineer.

Vigilance over Railway Affecting tanks during heavy rains –

(1) the Divisional Engineer and the Assistant Engineer should arrange with the local authorities/village headman in whose jurisdiction ‘Railway Affecting’ tanks are situated to watch them during periods of heavy rain and give timely intimation to the nearest Station Master, if there is likelihood of any tank failing. The Station Master will telephone/ telegraph reports received from village Headman to the Permanent Way Inspector, Assistant Engineer and Divisional Engineer.

(2) When the railway line is threatened, the Assistant Engineer and Permanent Way Inspector shall take adequate steps to ensure the safety of Railway property and staff and arrange patrolling of the line and or post watchmen with necessary equipment at the place or places threatened and advise the Divisional Engineer accordingly.

(3) All the Bridges which are likely to be affected by Railway affecting tanks or other storage works should be provided with a tablet on top of one of the parapets, with the letters RAW engraved on it, followed by an arrow mark pointing in the direction of the railway affecting storage work in question.

(4) If the bridge in whose catchment a Railway affecting tank is located is classified as a vulnerable location, stationary watchmen should be posted during monsoon. If for any reason, repairs as envisaged during the inspection, is not carried out, the section of the Railway line likely to be affected should be considered as vulnerable and watchman as considered necessary posted.

Weather warnings and action to be taken –

(1) General –

(a) Arrangement should be made with the concerned Meteorological Centre for receipt of bad weather warnings.

(b) The bad weather warnings to be received should cover both high velocity winds and cyclones as well as heavy rainfall and arrangement should be made for receipt of the same throughout the year.

(c) The list of Officers who should receive the bad weather warnings and their addresses should be discussed at personal level with the Meteorological Department. The list should be reviewed and updated every year.

(d)Detailed instructions and full-proof arrangement should exist for prompt communication of bad weather warnings on receipt to the line staff. 

(e) Anemometer should be installed at one of the adjacent stations of specially selected bridges where very high velocity winds are experienced and where there

is a danger of vehicles capsizing.

(f) Suitable working rules should be framed prescribing for each location the danger level of wind velocity and enjoining upon the Station Master to control (stop) the traffic on the section concerned when the wind velocity exceeds the danger level and also to inform the Station Master on the other side and the Section Controller of the need to control the traffic.

(2) Precautions to be taken by Station Master, Driver and Guard – Regarding

controlling of trains –

(a) When a weather warning message has been received forecasting heavy or cyclonic storm and there is reasonable doubt that a severe storm and high winds are going to break through, that may endanger the safety of passengers/ train, the

Station Master may, in consultation with the Guard and Driver, detain the train until the storm and high winds abate and it is considered safe to allow the train to

proceed from his station.

(b) In spite of the action outlined above should the Driver be still caught on run in a storm and high winds of an intensity which in his opinion are likely to endanger the safety of passengers/ train, he should bring his train with the least delay to a halt, avoiding such stoppage at places like sharp curves, high embankments, cuttings and bridges. The train could be restarted in consultation with the Guard only after the storm and high winds abate and it is considered safe to proceed.

(3) Action by the P.W.I – (a) The Permanent Way Inspector on receipt of weather/cyclone warning, should arrange to advise monsoon patrolmen/watchmen and Gang Mates to be extra vigilant. During the fair season, he should introduce monsoon patrolling as soon as possible and also post watchman as required at all vulnerable locations and bridges by day as well as by night for a period extending upto 48 hours beyond the period specified in the weather/ cyclone warning message.

(b) The Permanent Way Inspector should be out in his section as far as possible by trolley during the period of warning and 48 hours beyond.

(4 ) Action by the Gang Mates – On receipt of advice from the Station Master the

Gang Mate should take the following action :–

(a) During the fair season, the Mate of station yard gang should depute two reliable gangmen provided with patrolmen’s equipment for patrolling the block sections on either side and for alerting the intermediate Gangmates.

(b) During monsoon period also the Mate of the station yard gang should send two hangmen in opposite directions to alert intermediate Gangmates, patrolmen and watchmen.

(c) Should there be very heavy rain or a severe storm weather during the monsoon or fair season, the Mate and Gangmen of all gangs on their own initiative should commence monsoon patrolling by day as well as night. Similar action to carry out patrolling should be taken on receipt of bad weather warning for the duration of warning and 48 hours beyond.

(5) The individual Railway may issue instructions in the form of joint circular to suit the local requirements. 

(6) Inspecting officials should test the knowledge of Gang Mates and Gangmen about these instructions issued.