Vaishnaw reviews railway readiness ahead of Cyclone Montha

Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday reviewed the preparedness of the Indian Railways in view of the approaching Cyclone Montha. The review meeting, held via video conferencing, focused on assessing the readiness of the railway network along the east coast.

The minister examined measures being taken for passenger safety, train regulation, restoration planning, and coordination with local administrations and disaster management agencies. He directed railway officials to take all necessary precautions ahead of the cyclone’s impact, particularly in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Telangana.

Emphasising the importance of uninterrupted communication and swift deployment of disaster response teams, Vaishnaw instructed all railway zones to remain on high alert and ensure prompt restoration of services once the cyclone passes.

Indian Railways has activated divisional war rooms for real-time monitoring and coordination. Essential materials, equipment, and personnel have been positioned in key sections, especially across the Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam and Guntur divisions.

Continuous monitoring of train operations is underway to reduce passenger inconvenience. The East Coast Railway (ECoR), South Coast Railway (SCoR), and South Central Railway (SCR) zones have been instructed to mobilise resources for emergency response and take every possible safety precaution.

Parmeshwar Funkwal, General Manager of East Coast Railway, along with Principal Heads of Departments and Divisional Railway Managers, briefed the minister on the precautionary measures already in place across vulnerable sections, particularly in the Waltair and Khurda Road divisions.