Central Railway to opt for vetiver grass plantation to curb soil erosion in ghat sections
The Central Railway is implementing vetiver grass plantations in ghat sections to prevent soil erosion and landslips. This bioengineering approach uses the plant's deep root system to stabilize slopes and protect railway infrastructure during the monsoon season.
Why it matters
This initiative provides a sustainable, cost-effective solution for maintaining critical transportation infrastructure in disaster-prone regions.
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.
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