East Central Railway installs water level monitoring system at 57 bridges

The East Central Railway has installed sensor-equipped alert device to monitor the water level of rivers on 57 railway bridges under its jurisdiction, an official said on Tuesday. With incessant rains lashing various parts of Bihar during the last 24 hours, water levels of major rivers including Kosi, Mahananda, Bagmati, Gandak and Kamla Balan and Kamla are rising.

The water level monitoring system supported with modern technology instantly conveys information on the rise in the water level of the river, if it crosses the danger mark, the official said.

"The mobile phones of concerned railway officials have been linked to the system. The alert signals are sent automatically to the linked mobile phones. This will enable the train services to be regulated promptly to avert any risk and ensure safe railway operation. The ECR zone has installed this system on 57 railway bridges under its jurisdiction", said Chief Public Relation Officer (CPRO) of East Central Railway, Saraswati Chandra in a statement issued here on Tuesday.

He said, "This system has been installed at 34 railway bridges in the Samastipur division, followed by nine in the Danapur division, seven in the Dhanbad division, five in Sonepur division and two in Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya railway division." 

Meanwhile, with incessant rains lashing various parts of Bihar during the last 24 hours, water levels of major rivers including Kosi, Mahananda, Bagmati, Gandak Kamla Balan and Kamla are rising.

As per the Bihar Water Resources Department (WRD) latest bulletin, Kosi, Mahananda, Bagmati, Gandak, Kamla Balan and Kamla are flowing above the danger mark at many places in the state and at some places it has touched warning levels.

The water level of Bagmati river has touched the danger mark in Sitamarhi, Muzaffarpur, Sheohar, Aurai and Suppi (blocks) and other adjoining areas, it said.

"The water level of Bagmati river, as recorded at 2 pm on Tuesday, in Sitamarhi, Seohar, Muzaffarpur, Suppi and Piprahi was 49.40 metres, which is 0.72 meter above the danger level. Likewise, Bagmati crossed the danger mark in Aurau on Tuesday", the bulletin said.

"In Gopalganj and its Sidhwalia block, the Gandak river is flowing above the danger mark on Tuesday. Similarly, the Kamla Balan river touched the danger mark in Madhubani, Lakhnaur and Jhanjharpur. Kamla river is also flowing above the danger mark in certain areas of Madhubani and Jainagar", it said.

The Araria, Parman rivers are flowing above the danger mark, while the Mahananda river crossed the danger mark in Purnea and Baisi block on Tuesday, it said. 

The Kosi and Lal Bakeya rivers have already touched warning levels in Khagaria, Beldaur and Sitamarhi and its adjoining areas respectively.

People living in low-lying areas have been shifted to safer places by the concerned district administration, said a senior official of the department, adding all concerned departments are on alert mode.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday conducted an aerial survey of East Champaran, Gopalganj and West Champaran districts after the water level in several rivers in these districts swelled following heavy downpours in the past few days.