Mumbai: Central Railway replaces 6.2 km of tracks during mega block
Safe travel is a right of every passenger. Now safety of rail assets is finally being given some attention by the Indian Railways, which was in the backburner. For instance, on Sunday, the Central Railway replaced 6.2 km of tracks during the mega block between Thane-Vashi and Thane-Mulund sections. These tracks had become unsafe for trains to ply as it’s condition has deteriorated.
In this year itself, there have been several derailments and accidents across Indian Railways; one of the primary reasons being the poor quality of tracks. The railway officials agree that underinvestment in rail infrastructure, poor maintenance and excessive traffic has deteriorated the condition of these tracks.
- Utkal Express derailment, Aug 18, 2017
- Meerut-Lucknow Rajya Rani Express derailment, April 15, 2017
- Jagdalpur-Bhubaneswar Hirakhand Express derailment, Jan 22, 2017
- Kalindi Express derailment, Feb 20, 2017
The life of a rail track depends on the frequency of train movement and its tonnage capacity (load-bearing capacity that coaches carry). In Mumbai, the rail tracks are normally replaced after 1-2 years due to heavy usage while in the interiors where train movement is less, the replacement is done after 10 years too.
“The railway ministry has specifically asked all the zones …read more
