SER May Suspend Train Operations If ‘Bulbul’ Strikes Hard

Bhubaneswar: With cyclonic storm Bulbul heading for the Bengal coast, the South Eastern Railway (SER) said it might have to regulate train services for the safety of passengers.

In a statement, it said that the system is being monitored round the clock and if the situation becomes “grim and severe,”, train operations may be suspended.

SER operates train services between Howrah to the southern states including Odisha and between Howrah and Mumbai.

It said all the stations in the Kharagpur –Bhadrak section, as well as other stations within the radius of ‘Bulbul’, have been alerted and disaster management teams have been kept on stand by.

Electrical break down cars with tree cutting equipment manned by a team of experts including engineering staff have also been kept in readiness. Patrol Men have also been posted at bridges and in areas prone to flooding and landslide areas. Medical teams have also been placed at strategic locations.

The cyclonic storm is likely to cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts between Sagar Islands and Khepupara across Sunderban delta between 8 pm and 11 pm today as a ‘severe cyclonic storm’ with a maximum sustained wind speed of 110-120 kmph with gusting up to 135 kmph.