New Delhi: Technology averted what could have been a serious accident on the Konkan Railways last week when an inclinometer detected "soil involvement" on the track following heavy downpour and prompt action was taken.

Warning through Anti-Collision Device (ACD) to the Station Master, Chiplon, on August 6, that there were chances of landslide, the possible mishap involving 2619 DN Matasyagandha Express and 0112 UP Konkan Kanya express was averted saving precious lives.

Immediately after the warning, a speed restriction was imposed and senior engineers and staff rushed to the site, an official release today (Aug 8, 2004) said.

Till date, inclinometers have detected 10 incidents of boulder falls, soil slip and averted accidents on Konkan Railway during this monsoon.

The Konkan Railway has commissioned inclinometers connected with modified "Raksha Dhaga" boxes and interfaced with ACD by fixing 14,000 numbers of inclinometers to prevent fall of boulders on the track.

KR has also fixed the 'dhaga' on 106 rock cuttings, which has detected nine cases of boulder-fall, this monsoon and prevented accidents.

The focus of the KR is to make use of indigenous solutions to prevent disasters and to set up a pre-warning system on the route about natural calamities for taking timely preventive action, it said.