Rail traffic in the Ernakulam-Guruvayur sector was restored by Tuesday noon, after repairs were completed on the damaged track between Punkunnam and Guruvayur.
Trains on the corridor can attain speed of up to 60 kmph. Similar speed restrictions have been imposed on all routes which were inundated or faced near inundation in the past week’s flooding in Thiruvananthapuram Division.
It might take up to a week for normalcy to be restored in all corridors from Ernakulam to nearby districts, said Railway sources. Details of train operations can be hand from the enquiry number 138, since most trains are running way behind schedule.
KSRTC buses
The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has resumed operations from Ernakulam to all areas, except Idukki and Munnar. “We sent buses even to remote places in Kottayam that were cut off by flooding,” said a senior RTC official. But services are yet to resume in the flooded Alappuzha-Changanassery stretch.
Kochi metro
Kochi Metro is yet to resume the operation of all its trains, since its operational control room and coach-maintenance yard in Muttom are still inundated. The trains operating in the Aluva-Maharaja’s College stretch were adhering to the upper speed limit of 25 kmph, said KMRL sources.
Metro services were disrupted for over an hour on Tuesday, following signal failure.
Ferries
Ferry services from Ernakulam to West Kochi and Vypeen resumed partially on Tuesday noon, after a four-day gap. A pair of boats operated circular service in the route. Three ferries that operated in the route had to be sent to Varapuzha and nearby islands for flood-relief operations. “We intend to operate three ferries in Ernakulam-West Kochi sector and one to Vypeen from Wednesday,” said Sujith, traffic superintendent of State Water Transport Department.