Mangaluru : Southern Railway is hopeful of resuming train services on the Mangaluru-Mumbai line by Sunday morning after restoration of the track affected by Friday’s massive landslip near Kulashekara reached a crucial stage by Saturday evening.
Officials from the Palakkad Division of SR said the track could be certified fit for operation of goods trains by 4 a.m. and for passenger trains by 8 a.m. on Sunday.
Before this, the retaining wall besides the running track that was in a precarious condition was to be broken to a safe size for the running of trains. The running track including the Overhead Equipment (OHE) of Railway electrification was made fit for operation by Saturday evening.
The single track just after the Kulashekara tunnel near Kongurmutt was blocked by soil and a portion of the retaining wall owing to heavy rains after Friday’s landslip.
Palakkad Division had deployed adequate men and machinery for the restoration work being supervised by Divisional Railway Manager Trilok Kothari and other senior officers.
Mangaluru Area Manager Shivraj S. Managiri told The Hindu that about 60% of debris was removed so far and the collapsed retaining wall was cut apart to restore the track.
Steep hill walls in the surroundings were being tapered down to prevent further landslips, he said, adding damaged poles of electricity overhead line as well as cables too were restored.
Mr. Managiri further said Railways provided ‘road bridging’ services between Mangaluru Central and Surathkal to ferry passengers of Mumbai CSMT-Mangaluru Junction-Mumbai CSMT and Mangaluru Central-Mumbai LTT-Mangaluru Central express special services through buses.
Meanwhile, Railways continued to divert some of the long-distance trains between Kerala and the North either via Salem and Jolarpettai or via Padil, Hassan and Madgaon.
Train Nos. 06585/06586 Bengaluru-Karwar-Bengaluru Panchaganga express specials of Saturday were fully cancelled.
Train Nos. 06335 Gandhidham-Nagercoil weekly express special of July 16, 02618 Hazrath Nizamuddin-Ernakulam Mangala Lakshwadweep daily special of July 16, 06338 Ernakulam-Okha bi-weekly express special of Julyu 16, 02476 Coimbatore-Hissar weekly express special of July 17, 04559 Kochuveli-Chandigarh bi-weekly express special of July 17, 02617 Ernakulam-Hazrath Nizamuddin Mangala Lakshadweep express special of July 17 and 06345 Mumbai LTT-Thiruvananthapuram Central Netravathi daily express special of July 17 were diverted on alternative routes.
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