The South Central Railway (SCR) is taking measures to prevent stranding of trains or passengers in remote villages during the landfall of Hudhud Cyclone, which may cross the coast in Andhra Pradesh on October 12.
Indian Railway is planning to cancel or divert 75 trains, including 70 express and five passenger services, to avoid inconvenience to the passengers. Railways will open help desks in Vijayawada, Rajahmundry, Anakapalli, Tuni, Kakinada, Kakinada Town, Samalkot, Tadepalligudem and Eluru from Saturday.
An Emergency Cell would be opened at the control room at Vijayawada, and senior officers would be deputed in all major railway stations. Besides, an emergency relief van would be kept ready with food, medicines and rescue material to shift passengers, if necessary.
Vijayawada Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Pradeep Kumar directed Additional DRM N.S.R. Prasad, Senior Divisional Operations Manager (Sr. DOM) K. Satyanarayana and Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (Sr. DCM) N.V. Satyanarayana to give top priority for passengers.
“We alerted Secunderabad, Guntakal, Guntur and Visakpahatnam divisions, and the officials were instructed to keep in touch with all district officials as the severity of the cyclone would be more according to Weather department’s predictions,” said Mr. Pradeep Kumar.
Mr. Prasad said that an action plan has been prepared to provide drinking water, milk, food packets and medicines to the stranded passengers in stations. Depending upon the direction of the cyclone, railway will divert or cancel trains, said the Additional DRM.
“Instructions have been given to all Railway Station Superintendents to be in touch with APSRTC Depot Managers in cyclone prone areas to shift passengers in emergency. We will stop goods trains and accord priority for passenger trains,” said the Senior DCM.
The Senior DOM said that emergency teams have been pressed into service to avoid breaches, damage to tracks and restore train services, and sand bags, generators, lights and other material was kept ready. “We request the passengers to avoid journeys, if possible.”
