Image used for representational purposes only.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
To avoid soil erosion and landslips during heavy rains, the Central Railway is planning vetiver grass plantation for uninterrupted train working in the ghat sections. Central Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Swapnil Nila said the ghat sections, particularly the Bhor Ghat (Karjat-Lonavala) and Thal Ghat (Kasara-Igatpuri), were vulnerable to soil erosion, surface runoff, boulder falling and shallow landslips during monsoon, which posed a serious challenge to safe train operations. “To address this, the Central Railway is exploring large-scale use of Vetiver Grass [Chrysopogon zizanioides] as a natural slope stabilisation measure,” Mr. Nila said. Vetiver, known as a high-performance bioengineering plant under the globally recognised Vetiver System (VS), is highly effective in stabilising soil, reducing surface runoff, trapping eroded sediment and restoring slopes. The plant develops a dense, predominantly vertical root system which grows to 3 to 4 metres within 12 to 24 months. This strong fibrous root network acts as a natural reinforcement, binding the soil and increasing soil shear resistance by approximately 30 to 40%, thereby significantly reducing the risk of slumping and shallow slope failure.Mr. Nila stated that on the Central Railway, pilot plantations had already been undertaken for embankment protection in the South-East Ghat section, which included the Khandala–Monkey Hill section in up to 1,050 square meters. Also, on the Thakurwadi Cabin – Palasdhari section, the area of plantation ranged 4,250 square meters. For railway applications in ghats, vetiver hedges were being planted in contour lines on cutting slopes and embankments. The deep root system holds the soil in place, while the dense above-ground foliage acts as a porous barrier to slow down surface runoff, prevent gully formation, increase water infiltration and trap silt. Over time, trapped sediment helps in the formation of natural terraces, further stabilising the slopes, according to officials. “This nature-based solution will help the Central Railway in preventing soil erosion and slope instability in ghat sections, reducing instances of boulder and debris falling on tracks, ensuring safe and punctual train operations during monsoon and minimising maintenance cost of conventional protection works,” said Mr. Nila. Published - August 31, 2026 09:41 pm IST
