Kerala: Little time for track repair poses a big threat

THIRUVNANTHAPURAM: Populist demands for more trains and many more stops leave less time for track repair and maintenance, threatening the safety of railway tracks in Kerala. Railway sources say dense traffic punctuated by frequent stops offer very few gaps in between for track repair and maintenance. The way out was to cancel passenger trains during off-peak hours and use the gap for track work in different sections. But this had led to local protests and politicians storming Rail Bhavan, demanding an end to cancellations.

Reactively, the Railway Board has instructed the divisional authorities not to cancel trains, but reschedule them or run specials against cancellations. But this is no option as there is heavy traffic round the clock. “The net result is a compromise on safety on account of delayed maintenance. Even one-hour gap between trains is not possible in sections beyond Kollam up to Palakkad. Piecemeal work takes thrice the time to complete. All this has a bearing on the pace of work," said an official.

The railways used to have a “corridor block” of two hours section-wise for track work. But that does not happen anymore in Kerala. There are regular key men who physically verify the tracks. Senior engineers man the sections- Nagercoil, Thiruvananthapuram, Varkala, Kollam, Mavelikara, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam Aluva, Chalakkudy and Thrissur. These engineers are responsible for track safety. Tracks are also routinely subjected to tests using ultra-sound fault detection system mounted on wheels and train-attached oscillating modulation system that records the condition of tracks.

The official said that routine disruptions to long-welded tracks do not escape the notice of key men. Even when cracks occur abruptly, engine drivers pick up jerks and report it to higher-ups. They then order "to stop, examine and report" to the successive train. In the case of Thiruvananthapuram-Mangalapuram Express, the previous train had trudged along the same spot nearly one-and-a-half hours before and the fracture must have aggravated during the 90-minute gap before the accident.

In the case of coaches, there is a 25-year cap, after which they are taken out of service. Protocol mandates a mid-life overhaul. Each coach is subjected to periodic maintenance at the workshop every 18 months and an internal overhauling every nine months at the depot base. These steps are intended to ensure that rolling stock and tracks remain healthy, but often ignorant public clamour brings unwholesome pressure on officials to lower guard, said the official.