Efforts on to restore Mumbai-Pune rail link by Aug 16: CR

Nearly 200 workers along with a large number of railway staff are working round-the-clock to restore the Mumbai-Pune rail link, disrupted for more than a week now, by August 16, officials said on Tuesday.

The rail traffic remained suspended for the ninth consecutive day on Tuesday between Lonavala and Karjat in the South-East hilly section of the busy route.

The tracks on the Lonavala-Karjat section were badly damaged following several cases of landslides and boulder- falling due to incessant and heavy rains last month.

Since then, the Central Railway (CR) has suspended train movement on all the three lines on the Karjat-Lonavala ghat section.

CR authorities are carrying out repairs on the affected section in the Khandala area where tracks, overhead equipment as well as signaling system were washed away due to heavy downpour and subsequent landslides, the official said.

According to a senior CR official, 200 workers along with railway staff and supervisors are working round-the-clock to restore traffic on the route braving heavy rains in the ghat section.

CR's chief spokesperson Sunil Udasi said multiple teams of engineers and employees as well as workers are striving hard to restore train services by August 16.

On Saturday, CR's General Manager A K Gupta had personally inspected the restoration work and lauded the officials and workers for their efforts.

Officials from the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) - a Railways body - along with other wings of the national transporter were present during Gupta's inspection.

Udasi, who was also present at the site, described the restoration work as "full of challenges".

"Inaccessible area, steep and dangerous slopes, adverse circumstances such as incessant rains, were posing challenges while carrying out the restoration work. Still the restoration and re-railing work was on in full swing," he said.

According to another senior CR official, the restoration work was not merely limited to repairing the tracks, signaling system as well as removal of the debris.

CR officials are also ensuring to avoid any damage to the tracks and signaling system from possible landslides in the coming days, he said.