The South Eastern Railway is gearing up with safety measures, concerned over cyclone Yaas, likely to hit West Bengal and Odisha coast on Wednesday.
Railway officials at Garden Reach, the headquarters of South Eastern Railway said a close watch is being kept at railway bridges, tracks, yards, signalling system and other vital installations.
"Diesel generator sets, diesel drive pump, earth moving equipment etc. have been kept ready to tackle emergency situations," said Sanjay Ghosh, chief public relations officer of SER adding that close coordination is being maintained with state governments of Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand and that they are also in constant touch with India Meteorological Department and getting weather alerts on hourly basis.
Apart from cancellation of several trains in the SER zone patrolling will be carried out at vulnerable locations from Monday.
Tree cutting and road clearing teams have been kept on alert at critical locations while the control room and disaster management cell of SER will become active from Sunday night.
Hot lines have been established between SER headquarters and the disaster management cell.
Vidya Bhushan, general manager, South Eastern Railway has reviewed the preparedness with all the Divisional Railway Managers and principal head of the departments and directed the officials to be on full alert to meet any emergencies.
SER has also taken adequate steps by positioning special teams for early restoration of tracks, signaling system and electrification etc.
Diesel locomotives have been kept ready at various places under its jurisdiction for utilisation during failure of electricity.
As red alert has been sounded in coastal areas, SER is keeping a watchful eye at all the stations in Howrah – Kharagpur-Tatanagar and Panskura-Haldia-Digha and other sections too.
The CPRO said instructions have been issued that whenever there is heavy rain, the sectional trackmen will organise patrolling of track on their own to ensure that the track is safe for the passage of trains and ensure protection at all locations where washouts are likely to occur.
Arrangements have been made to stock sufficient quantities of track and bridge repair reserve materials like boulders, sand, quarry dust and ballast at identified locations.
In the wake of IMD's forecast of the cyclone, trains towards southern India and east coast either originating or terminating have already been suspended and notified.