Finally, 50-wagon water train heads for parched Latur
In the past few days, the same train has already made nine trips to Latur with 10 wagons, carrying 5 lakh litres of water each time.
The train has already made nine trial trips to Latur with 10 wagons, carrying 5 lakh litres of water each time. Express photo
At exactly 10.55 pm on Tuesday, the much-awaited 50-wagon train carrying 50 lakh litres of drinking water left Miraj in Sangli district for Latur city. It is expected to reach Latur between 6 and 7 am on Wednesday after covering a distance of around 342 kilometres.
In the past few days, the same train has already made nine trips to Latur with 10 wagons, carrying 5 lakh litres of water each time.
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The 50-wagon train is set for a grand welcome at the Latur railway station. Latur city mayor Akhtar Mistry, Municipal Commissioner Sudhakar Telang, local politicians, people and activists plan to welcome the “Jaldoot” express specially commissioned from Kota in Rajasthan to carry water for around 5 lakh people in the parched Latur city. “Yes, I will be there early morning to welcome the train. It is a big occasion… the train is coming with big relief for Latur citizens who have been struggling to get drinking water,” the mayor said.
Shahbaz Sayed of the Azad Yuva Sanghatna said they planned to felicitate the train driver. “It is momentous occasion for Latur residents who have to struggle for every drop of water. Every family in Latur has to buy water every day and put all their purchases on hold.”
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The Jaldoot first made its experimental trip on April 11. The train faced clearance problem due to the single line section from Miraj to Latur. However, the railways then pulled out all stops to ensure the train was given all the due clearance to its onward journey.
Watch Video | Video Of Water Train Arriving In Latur
While the Solapur division of Central Railways ensured that Jaldoot Express moved on the tracks without any hitch, the Pune division took care of the loading of water at the Miraj railway station.
The water is being brought through a 4-km closed pipeline from railway jackwell located on the banks of Krishna river to the water treatment plant at Miraj. From the plant, it goes to Haider Khan well, which is at a distance of 2.5 km. From the well to the yard, the water travels through a closed pipeline into the wagons.
Krishnat Patil, operational manager, Pune Division, said they planned to run a 50-wagon train every day until the monsoon. The 50-wagon train will carry 25 lakh litres of water, equivalent to 450 tankers.
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