Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train to enhance safety with an advanced Rainfall Monitoring System

To ensure the safe operations of the ambitious Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project, the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) has announced the adoption of an automated Rainfall Monitoring System. This cutting-edge technology will provide real-time rainfall data through advanced rain gauges, equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation.

According to a statement from NHSRCL, each rain gauge in the system features a tripping cell that generates signal pulses corresponding to the collected rain volume. These pulses are transmitted to the Facility Controller System at the Operation Control Centre (OCC), where they are monitored.

The system provides two crucial measurements, Hourly Rainfall, capturing the last hour's rainfall, and 24-Hour Rainfall, summing up the rainfall over the past 24 hours. These measurements are essential for making informed decisions about train operations, particularly in regions vulnerable to heavy rainfall and its effects on earth structures and natural slopes.

As per the NHSRCL, specific regulations will be enforced based on the rainfall data and threshold values for different earth structures and natural slopes, validated by patrolling teams from Maintenance Centres. Six rain gauge stations will be installed along the bullet train corridor, particularly in Thane and Palghar districts, near vulnerable earth structures, mountain tunnel entrances and exits, and tunnel portals. Areas with significant cuttings and potential landslide risks will also be closely monitored, with each rain gauge covering a radius of nearly 10 km.

India's Railways Minister stated in March, that the bullet train project is slated for completion by 2026, with initial services between Surat and Bilimora. Despite initial delays due to land acquisition challenges, the project has been progressing steadily since work began in November 2021.

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project, launched in 2017, promises to revolutionise travel, covering the 508 km distance in just under three hours. The train will start in Mumbai and terminate at Sabarmati, stopping at 10 stations along the way, including Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, and Ahmedabad.