Mumbai: Western Railway ensures uninterrupted Churchgate-Virar services amid heavy rainfall

Tracks on Western Railway remains operational despite heavy rainfall across Mumbai (Pic/Special arrangement)

Amid the extreme weather situation, Western Railway on Wednesday highlighted that its suburban train services on the Churchgate-Virar corridor continue to operate without any disruption despite heavy rainfall in parts of Mumbai and its suburbs over the past 24 hours.

While issuing an official statement, the railway attributed the uninterrupted operations to a series of monsoon preparedness measures carried out ahead of the rainy season.

As per the officials, "The measures were undertaken by the Engineering (Permanent Way) department with support from the Operating, Electrical, and Signal & Telecommunication (S&T) departments, along with coordination with civic authorities."

Key monsoon preparedness measures taken by Western Railway

According to the Western Railway, the preparations before the arrival of the monsoon included extensive desilting of nallahs, side drains and catch-water drains; removal of blockages from drainage channels at vulnerable locations, and installation of high-capacity dewatering pumps at waterlogging-prone spots. The officials also highlighted that the pumps were regularly tested and kept ready for round-the-clock use during heavy rainfall.

Round-the-clock patrolling by Permanent Way staff across the suburban section to detect and immediately attend to any emerging issues.

Western Railway also added that they carried out track maintenance works such as track packing, ballast cleaning and formation dressing to improve drainage and reduce the impact of water accumulation on railway tracks.

Emergency resources deployed at critical sections

The railway administration said vulnerable locations were identified in advance and monitored continuously during rainfall. Quick-response teams and emergency resources were deployed across sensitive sections, while Permanent Way staff carried out round-the-clock track patrolling to detect and address any issues.

They also added that coordination among various railway departments and municipal agencies helped ensure prompt action whenever required.

Services between Churchgate-Virar remains uninterrupted despite heavy rains

The Churchgate-Virar suburban section, one of Mumbai's busiest commuter corridors, remained operational despite the intense rainfall, with no reported disruption due to waterlogging, according to the railway.

Western Railway said its monsoon preparedness focuses on preventive maintenance, including strengthening drainage infrastructure, improving track resilience and conducting mock drills before the onset of the rainy season. It also acknowledged the efforts of engineering teams, track maintainers and patrol staff who worked during the adverse weather to ensure safe train operations.