Canadian fences, CCTV, and micro-tunnelling: Central Railway’s comprehensive plan to combat landslides
Canadian fencing is a special type of rockfall barrier wire mesh
The Central Railway’s successful trick of using Canadian fences in the terraneous ghat section of Lonavala-Khandala will be replicated in Mumbai city this monsoon to prevent landslides and related disasters. Canadian fencing is a special type of rock fall barrier wire mesh that the CR has been successfully using in the ghat sections for the past few years to prevent boulders from falling onto the tracks. “At the joint meeting between the railways and the BMC, it was discussed that the BMC should try to use the fencing method in the hilly areas of the city,” a CR official said.
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Mumbai city and suburbs have many hilly regions near Vikhroli, Saki Naka, Antop Hill, and Kurla where there are instances of landslides falling on slum pockets, leading to casualties and injuries. It is at such locations that the Canadian fence method might be replicated. Meanwhile, the CR has said that this year, in addition to Canadian fence and CCTV monitoring in the ghat section, they have also performed tunnel sounding at 18 locations in the ghat section of Railways. Tunnel sounding is done to check the stability of the tunnel walls to prepare them for adverse weather.
Boulder catching sumps, netting, catch water drains, and tunnel portals are other measures in place. In Mumbai city and suburbs along the CR Mumbai, 24 vulnerable locations have been identified, and 192 pumps provided. This year, the pump numbers and capacity have been increased. Micro tunnelling has been provided at many locations. Micro tunnelling basically consists of underground “drain down” tanks below city rail tracks to drain off water logging to avoid flooding.
Of the 119.82 km of drain de-silting and cleaning, work has been completed for 68.44 km, and of the 156 culverts, 92 have been cleaned with a targeted muck removal of 55,000 cubic meters. Trimming of 156 trees has been completed, and work on two more is in progress.
What Else?
24x7 Control Room Ops
CR Control office, working round the clock, will keep close liaison with the Meteorological Department, Disaster Management cell, and staff deputed at flood-prone areas for continuous monitoring and constant updates.
Real-Time Monitoring
Hourly monitoring of rainfall and water level above the track is taken by the control office from field staff during the monsoon period.
Inter-agency Coordination
Close coordination with state govt, BMC, TMC, NMMC —Regular meetings conducted between Railways and state officials. A hotline has also been created between railways and MCGM Disaster Cell, TMC, and NMMC.
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