Source: https://zeenews.india.com/railways/cyclone-biparjoy-indian-railways-erects-emergency-control-rooms-in-gujarat-multiple-trains-cancelled-2620965.html
Publisher: Zee News
In the wake of the impending Cyclone Biparjoy, Indian Railways have activated the disaster management room and also opened emergency control rooms in several districts of Gujarat to ensure smooth rail functioning. The Director of Information and Publication Railway Board, Shivaji Sutar on Monday said that sufficient manpower and machinery has been deployed with adequate preparation to deal with any emergency situation. Speaking to ANI, Shivaji Sutar said, “Disaster Management room has been activated and field staff has been put on alert mode. Emergency control rooms have been opened in Bhavnagar, Rajkot, Ahmedabad and Gandhidham. Additional helpline numbers have also been activated”.
“We have deployed sufficient manpower and machinery. Our teams have also been alerted. We have sufficient locomotives ready in case of any power failure, and we are also ready with preparation to evacuate people if a train gets stuck anywhere,” he added.
Earlier, Relief Commissioner Alok Kumar Pandey informed about both central and state governments being on the alert mode in view of the cyclone.
“State government and Central government are on alert view of Cyclone Biparjoy. We have 12 NDRF teams and they have been deployed in Kutch, PorbanderJunagadh, Jamnagar, Dwarka, Gir Somnath, Morbi and Rajkot districts. Three teams were requested from the Centre and they have arrived they will be kept in reserve in Rajkot, Gandhidham and Kutch,” the Relief Commissioner told ANI.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi also chaired a high-level meeting to review the preparedness of ministries/agencies of the Centre as well as Gujarat to deal with the situation.
According to the official statement, Prime Minister directed senior officers to take every possible measure to ensure that the State Government safely evacuates people living in vulnerable locations and to ensure maintenance of all essential services such as power, telecommunications, health, drinking water etc and are restored immediately in the event of damage caused to them.
During the meeting, India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed that Cyclone Biparjoy is expected to cross Saurashtra and Kutch between Mandvi (Gujarat) and Karachi (Pakistan) near Jakhau Port (Gujarat) by noon of June 15 as a very severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 125-135 kmph gusting to 145 kmph.
