Pernem tunnel restored, train route to resume soon in Goa

MARGAO: Nearly 40 days after the wall of the Pernem tunnel collapsed, paralysing train traffic along the Konkan Railway route, restoration work of the tunnel has been completed. Train traffic on the route is now expected to resume soon.
“Train movement on this route is likely to resume by Tuesday evening,” Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd’s deputy general manager, public relations, Baban Ghatge told TOI.
The spell of heavy rain earlier this month had decelerated restoration work. Train traffic along the Konkan Railway route, which was earlier suspended until August 20, was later extended to September 10.
“There was considerable delay in erecting the formwork for the RCC work of the lined wall. However, despite heavy rains during the last few days, the RCC work was completed and the track is now ready for movement of traffic,” a Konkan Railway official said.
The constrained working area available inside the tunnel added to the difficulties in the restoration work, sources said.
On August 6, a 5m stretch of the wall inside the tunnel caved in, paralysing train traffic along the route. Since then several special trains have either been cancelled or diverted via the South Western Railway route.
The 1.56 km-long Pernem tunnel was built largely in soft soil strata. The collapsed portion of the tunnel lined wall lies 300m inside from the Mangalore end of the tunnel.