CR shows why mega blocks are important

Central Railways mega-block,a system of stopping or diverting trains for maintenance of the tracks,is considered a trial by fire for railway employees.

Central Railways mega-block,a system of stopping or diverting trains for maintenance of the tracks,is considered a trial by fire for railway employees. Commuters see it differently and say its a weekly hindrance.

This Sundays six-hour mega block was the hundredth in the current financial year and journalists were invited to see why the system is important.

CR officials invited journalists to see it for themselves. The maintenance work was done on the down (slow) track between Kurla and CST and on the up (fast) track between Mulund and Matunga. Along with routine maintenance,pre-monsoon preparations are under way.

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S Mudgerikar,Chief Public Relations Officer,CR,said: In this mega block,1,600 railway staff including officials,worked along the Harbour and Mail lines.

The work started at 11 am. Near Sion station,some workers in orange safety jackets and yellow hats were conducting track maintenance. Some were replacing the keys (made of mild steel) on the tracks and some were spraying a chemical at the joints. Madhurendra Sahai,Divisional Signalling and Telecom Engineer,said: This is silver salvaging anti-corrosion spray for signal connections. We are also replacing the keys with new ones. The rails will also be polished.

Copper rivets were also being replaced on the tracks.

Sanjay Singh,senior divisional signalling and telecom engineer,said a system had been put in place on trial basis for flood-prone areas. During monsoon,tracks will not fail due to flooding, he said.

Near Sion station,drains were being constructed. Sahai said these were pre-cast cement drains,each 2-metre-long,to be laid along an almost 1-km stretch.

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