Trains through old bridge can be diverted if Yamuna level rises: Rly

New Delhi, Sep 23 (UNI) Trains passing through the Old Yamuna bridge in the Capital could be diverted through alternative routes if water level at the bridge, which has already crossed the danger mark, breaches the maximum limit of 206.10 m.

Northern Railway sources said the water at the Old bridge had crossed the danger mark due to over four lakh cusecs water released by Haryana through Tajewala barrage on Saturday.

''Due to release of over four lakh cusecs of water by Haryana from the Tajewala barrage, water level at the Yamuna bridge has already crossed the danger mark. As per the present speed at which the water level is increasing it is expected to cross the maximum limit of 206.10 m by midnight, forcing closure of rail and road traffic through the bridge till the water level comes down.

''In such a situation, trains running through the bridge will be diverted to run through an alternative route,'' a Northern Railway spokesperson said tonight.

The Delhi Government, however, ruled out any stoppage of road traffic through the bridge as all necessary precautions were taken by them to meet any eventuality.

Talking to UNI, Chief Engineer of the Delhi Government's irrigation and flood control department M C T Pareva, while admitting the water level on the old Yamuna bridge had reached 206 m, said, ''There is no reason to panic. We have taken all necessary precautions, including placing sandbags along the Old Yamuna bridge.'' ''We have also asked the UP Government to keep its gates or barrages along the Border area open so as to allow the water coming from Tajewala to pass,'' he added.

He said while the water level at the bridge was likely to rise a little in the coming hours, it would start going down by tomorrow.

Any steps contemplated by the Railway authorities could be just a precautionary measure, he said.

Notably, after Haryana released over four lakh cusecs of water through Tajewala barrage, the Yamuna level yesterday crossed the danger mark of 204.83 m.

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