UNI

Mangalore/Mumbai, May 25: The Konkan Railway, India's wonder coastal Railway network, is among several potential victims of the impending climate change caused by human-induced global warming.

Running 760 km along the Western coastal Ghats of India, the Konkan Railway was even at present suffering damages due to climatic factors like heavy raifall and others, claiming 20 per cent of repair and maintenance expenses.

It is an engineering marvel that connects the two important cities of the country--Mumbai and Mangalore- passesing through a region having a very tough terrain.

The Konkan Railway had started its operations in 1998.

A study by researchers of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad has concluded that the potential impacts of climate change on the Konkan Railway relate to temperature, precipitation, sea level change, and incidence of extreme events.

There will be both direct and indirect impacts.

According to researchers, any increase in temperature can directly affect the stability and strength of building materials.

Weakened buildings require more and frequent repair.

The increased temperature may also indirectly increase the need for air-conditioning on trains. More air-conditioning would lead to greater energy demand.

Moreover, ground and surface water loss may lead to the shortfall in agricultural productivity in the region, affecting the freight traffic.

Heavy rainfall can lead to water-logging, a direct effect, as well as erosion, which indirectly leads to increased maintenance costs.

Erosion can also be caused by a rise in sea-level and flooding, which have both direct (maintenance costs) and indirect (service disruption etc).

There will be recurring delays in the operation of trains and more physical risk. Extreme events can cause direct damage to the rail network.

Important Railway stations along the Konkan Railway include Mumbai, Mangalore, Udupi, Madgaon (Goa), Khed, Ankola among others.

Some of the important trains that run on the route are: Dadar (Mumbai) - Madgaon Janshatabdi Express; Thiruvananthapuram- Hazrat Nizamuddin (Delhi); Rajdhani Express; Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (Mumbai) - Mangalore Matsyaganda Express; Mumbai CST-Madgaon Konkankanya Express; Mumbai CST-Madgaon Mandovi Express; Lokmanya Tilak Terminus(Mumbai) -Thiruvananthapuram Netravati Express; Ernakulam Jn - Hazrat Nizamuddin (Delhi) - Mangala Lakshadweep Express .

The fact that the climate change was certain has been established by the latest report of the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).