‘Raksha Dhaga’ for Konkan Rly

In the wake of last week’s accident that claimed 50 lives, the Konkan Railway Corporation Limited has designed the first prototype of a warning device to be installed at all critical cuttings along its route.

A Railway release said: ‘‘The indigenous device, called Raksha Dhaga, is a safety sensor which will give advance information to the engine driver through warning lights and hooter signals about the stability of cuttings on its route.’’ The device consists of a strong nylon cord stretched along the length of the cutting. It is attached to a pulley at the end and is coupled with a lever which moves up and down, automatically operating a switch to trigger the warning light and hooter.