Rail tracks getting bent due to scorching heat is turning into a common problem. This has become a recurring issue, especially during the summer season. This summer we have come across such news of bending and subsequent train movement snapping for a number of times. This kind of incidents happened last year as well. Despite this becoming a recurring problem, what surprises us is the fact that rail authorities are still sticking to some hackneyed solutions instead of focusing on any long-term way out?
Such bending of the rail tracks is a cause of concern for quite a few reasons. It can, in the first place, cause derailment of trains which would claim lives and result in huge loss for both individuals and the rail authorities. Moreover, whenever a rail track bends, the communication gets snapped causing huge sufferings to the commuters. If this kind of incidents keeps happening, it may discourage the commuters from using trains, further compounding the existing problems of the railway.
To our utter surprise, the authorities have limited their actions to a few techniques to address this issue. At the moment, the Bangladesh Railway is pouring cold water onto the tracks to bring down the temperature and prevent the tracks from further bending. In some cases, they are using water hyacinth on the tracks to cool them down. But will it really solve the problem for good? Is using hyacinths a scientific approach to cool down the rail tracks during excessive heat? Experts do not think so.
This clearly points to the reality that the authorities concerned are yet to come up with a permanent solution. And we think they are not even looking for one though bending of rail track has been occurring for the last few years, but they are still resorting to old techniques. As climate change is here to stay, the rail authorities must find out a sustainable solution.
Just like the developed countries, authorities could think of adopting automation for maintenance of rail tracks, using solid concrete slabs to contain the force and painting the tracks in white. Implementing these will require time. So, it is imperative that the authorities apply forethought and start planning right now. Meanwhile, monitoring on both the down and up lines must be increased for the time being to avoid any mishap.