PART - ‘C’

PRE-MONSOON PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES

1124 General precautions to be taken before monsoon –
It is necessary to take certain precautions and carry out certain essential works before
the commencement of monsoon, such as
(1) All catch water drains and side drains must be cleared of silt, vegetation and other
obstructions to ensure free flow and quick drainage of storm water.
(2) The waterways of bridges must be cleared of vegetation and other obstructions. If
silting is noticed in some spans, it should be removed to ensure that the full waterways
is available for the discharge of flood water. During de-silting, care should be taken to
remove the silt only upto the bed level.
Protective and River Training Works must be maintained in good condition and repairs
carried out wherever necessary. Scour holes should be filled with boulders.

(3) The High Flood Level (HFL), Full Supply Level (FSL) in the case of canals with year
of occurrence and Danger Level (DL) must be painted. The Danger Level Mark shall
be painted with bright red band across each pier adjacent to the abutment so as to be
clearly visible to the Patrolmen, Special Watchmen and Drivers. Flood Gauges shall
be painted on important bridges as specified.
(4) Water shall not be allowed to stagnate on the track. For this purpose, cross drains
should be provided at regular intervals. In yards, cross drains and longitudinal drains
should be cleared/provided to proper grades.
(5) In hilly areas, where there is incidence of falling boulders, a survey should be carried
out to locate loose boulders. Such loose boulders should be dropped in a systematic
manner.
(6) Selection of Patrolman and Watchman should be made in accordance with
and they must be trained and tested for their knowledge of rules. The duties
to be performed by them should be clearly explained to them. The equipment of
Patrolmen and other watchman shall be complete in all respects.
(7) Spare trollies should be kept in readiness at the headquarters of the JE/SSE/P.Way
and at other stations in the proximity of vulnerable locations. Motor Trollies must be
overhauled and kept in fit condition.
(8) Rivers in the upstream reaches should be inspected for guarding against possible
change in water course.
(9) The prescribed reserve stock of boulders, empty cement bags, wire netting and sand/
quarry dust should be kept at specified locations for rushing to site, in case of
emergency and should be made good, in case of deficiency.
(10) Action should be taken as envisaged in in the case of Railway Affecting
Works.
(11) The temporary Engineering Indicators must be painted and kept ready for use.
(12) The rain gauges should be inspected before the monsoon and it should be ensured
that they are in perfect working condition.
(13) Use of modern technological advancements such as drone videography etc., can be
deployed to assess the condition of specific assets/locations and water course etc.,
which are difficult to access.

(14) Trees which are likely to fall on running lines during heavy wind/storms should be
identified and cut in advance.

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(15) Vulnerable Locations/kilometrages should be reviewed jointly by the Assistant
Divisional Engineers and Divisional Engineers and on the basis of past history and
pre-monsoon inspections and the register of vulnerable locations should be brought
up-to-date.
1125 Materials for Emergencies –
(1) Arrangements should be made to stock sufficient quantities of rails, sleepers,
Materials for cribs, ballast, sand/quarry dust/cinder and boulders at suitable points
near Vulnerable Locations, so that the Materials may be rushed to site as required.
(2) Before the onset of monsoon, specified number of wagons loaded with sand/quarry
dust/cinder, ballast and boulders should be kept at appropriate stations for quick
movement to Vulnerable Locations.
(3) During monsoon, as far as possible, Ballast Train should be programmed to work in
the vicinity of the Vulnerable Zones so that they may be utilised without delay in
emergency.
(4) Locations and quantities of reserve stocks should be made known to all DENs and
ADENs by the PCE. Reserve stock should not be used except in an emergency. When
it is used, it should be recouped.
DEN should send a certificate to the PCE to the effect that monsoon reserve stock is
in order and to the scale laid down, by the prescribed date.
(5) Bridge Engineer/ DEN should arrange to keep equipment like Service Spans,
Trestles, Cribs, Derricks, Compressor, Equipment and Materials required for blasting,
rock breakers, welding sets etc., ready for use in emergencies. These should be
stocked in working order at convenient places so that they can be despatched to the
site of breaches without delay.
1126 Service Spans and Rail Clusters – Details of temporary service spans and rail
clusters available on each railway should be listed and circulated for the guidance of
ADENs and DENs before the monsoon. The detailed drawings of the same shall be
circulated by the PCE of the railway for the guidance of JE/SSE/P.Way and ADENs,
who should be in the possession of the same.
1127 Railway Affecting Works (Including Railway Affecting Tanks) –
(1) – The term “Railway Affecting Work” may broadly be taken to mean any
work which if not constructed and maintained properly, or not operated properly may
result in danger to Railway Line (Bridge/ embankment). This may include tanks,
storage works, canals, bunds, etc.
(2) – The DEN/ADEN will maintain an up-to-date list
of Railway Affecting Works as jointly approved by the Railway and the state
Government. The list shall invariably show the particulars of state Authority
responsible for maintenance of each Railway Affecting Work.
(3) – Where, as per current practice the Public
Works or Revenue Department forwards to the Divisional Engineer every year, their
inspection reports on the condition of these tanks which are classified as Railway
affecting, action should be taken as follows – ( )
(a) The DEN should peruse the reports carefully and mark those tanks which he
considers are not in satisfactory state of repair. He should then forward the reports to
the Assistant Divisional Engineer with instructions that the tanks so marked should be
inspected and reported on.
(b) ADEN shall jointly inspect with civil authorities, all R.A.W / R.A.T. before the monsoon
every year and arrange for their safe maintenance to avoid any danger to nearby
tracks and structures. Records of the annual inspections should be kept in registers
as prescribed. ADEN should report to the DEN details of the action being taken by

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 the Public Works or Revenue Department. The DEN should timely prevail on the
authorities concerned to carry out all necessary repairs before the ensuing monsoon
and take other actions to ensure safety of Railway assets. A typical sketch of RAW
tablet is shown below –

(c) Copies of the inspection notes of ‘Railway Affecting Tanks’ as received from the State
Authorities with particulars of date of inspection and notes of action taken or proposed
by him should be included in the Register of Railway Affecting Works maintained by
the ADEN.
1128 Vigilance over Railway Affecting Tanks during Heavy Rains –
(1) The Divisional Engineer and the ADEN should arrange with the Local
Authorities/Village Headman in whose jurisdiction ‘Railway Affecting Tanks’ are
situated to watch them during periods of heavy rain and give timely intimation to the
nearest Station Master, if there is likelihood of any tank failing. The Station Master will
telephone/convey reports received from Village Headman/State Government
authorities to the SSE/P.Way (In-charge), ADEN and Divisional Engineer.
(2) When the railway line is threatened, ADEN and SSE/P.Way (In-charge) shall take
adequate steps to ensure the safety of Railway property and staff and arrange
patrolling of the line and or post watchmen with necessary equipment at the place or
places threatened and advise the DEN accordingly.
(3) All the Bridges which are likely to be affected by ‘Railway Affecting Tanks’ or other
storage works should be provided with a tablet on top of one of the Parapets, with the
letters R.A.W. engraved on it, followed by an arrow mark pointing in the direction of
the railway affecting storage work in question.
(4) If the bridge in whose catchment a Railway Affecting Tank is located is classified as
a Vulnerable Location, Stationary Watchmen should be posted during monsoon, as
necessary. If for any reason, repairs as envisaged during the inspection, as per
is not carried out, the section of the Railway line likely to be affected should
be considered as vulnerable and Watchman as considered necessary posted.

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1129 Weather Warnings and Action to be Taken – ( )
(1) –
(a) Arrangement should be made with the concerned Meteorological Centre for receipt
of bad weather warnings.
(b) The bad weather warnings to be received should cover both high velocity winds
and cyclones as well as heavy rainfall and arrangement should be made for receipt
of the same throughout the year.
(c) The list of officials who should receive the bad weather warnings and their
addresses should be advised to the Meteorological Department by the Division.
The list should be reviewed and updated every year.
(d) Detailed instructions and fool-proof arrangement should exist for prompt
communication of bad weather warnings on receipt to the line staff.
(e) Anemometer should be installed at one of the adjacent stations of specially
selected bridges where very high velocity winds are experienced and where there
is a danger of vehicles capsizing (Para 717 may be referred).
(f) Suitable working rules should be framed prescribing for each location the danger
level of wind velocity and enjoining upon the Station Master to control (stop) the
traffic on the section concerned when the wind velocity exceeds the Danger Level
and also to inform the Station Master on the other side and the Section Controller
of the need to control the traffic.
(2)
–
(a) When a weather warning message has been received forecasting heavy or
cyclonic storm and there is reasonable doubt that a severe storm and high winds
are going to break through, that may endanger the safety of Passengers/Train, the
Station Master may, in consultation with the Guard and Driver, detain the train until
the storm and high winds abate and it is considered safe to allow the train to
proceed from his station.
(b) In spite of the action outlined above should the Driver be still caught on run in a
storm and high winds of an intensity which in his opinion are likely to endanger the
safety of Passengers/Train, he should bring his train with the least delay to a halt,
avoiding such stoppage at places like sharp curves, high embankments, cuttings
and bridges. The train could be restarted in consultation with the Guard only after
the storm and high winds abate and it is considered safe to proceed.
(3)
(a) The SSE/P.Way (In-charge) on receipt of weather/cyclone warning, should arrange
to advise monsoon Patrolmen/Watchmen and Gang Mates to be extra vigilant.
During the fair season, he should introduce monsoon patrolling as soon as possible
and also post watchman as required at all vulnerable locations and bridges by day
as well as by night, for a period extending upto 48 hours beyond the period
specified in the weather/ cyclone warning message.
(b) The JE/SSE/P.Way should be out in his section, as far as possible by trolley, during
the period of warning and 48 hours beyond, if the trains are in operation.
(4) – On receipt of advice from the Station Master, the Gang
Mate should take the following action –
(a) During the fair season, the Gang Mate of station yard gang should depute two
reliable Track Maintainer provided with patrolmen’s equipment for patrolling the
block sections on either side and for alerting the intermediate Gang Mates.

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 (b) During monsoon period also, the Gang Mate of the station yard gang should send
two Track Maintainer in opposite directions to alert intermediate Gang Mates,
Patrolmen and Watchmen.
(c) Should there be very heavy rain or a severe storm weather during the monsoon or
fair season, the Gang Mate and Track Maintainer of all gangs on their own initiative
should commence monsoon patrolling by day as well as night. Similar action to
carry out patrolling should be taken on receipt of bad weather warning for the
duration of warning and 48 hours beyond.
(5) The individual Railway may issue instructions in the form of joint circular to suit the
local requirements.
(6) Inspecting officials should test the knowledge of Gang Mates and Track Maintainer
about these instructions issued.

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