Karnataka: Landslide near Mangaluru disrupts train schedule on west coast

MANGALURU: The incessant rains, from the past few days, caused a massive landslide blocking the tunnel on the Kulshekar-Padil section of Palghat division, Southern railway on Friday. It has majorly disrupted train schedules on the West Coast.
Palghat Railway sources said the landslide occurred after 10.40am and it would take a minimum of eight hours to clear the tracks of the debris. Divisional Railway Manager Trilok Kothari has proceeded to the spot and is expected to reach it within a couple of hours.
This is the same stretch that had experienced landslip in August 2019. The event was so massive that it took railway officials eight long days to restore traffic. Some railway officials expressed displeasure over the restoration works of 2019 questioning how a landslide occurred in the same area – even after a full restoration, considering future incidents, was also carried out.
The Southern railways will release a list of trains that have been diverted, rescheduled and cancelled in a couple of hours, along with the route.
Meanwhile Konkan Railway Corporation, in consultation with Southern Railway, released the list of trains that were Regulated / Short Terminated / Cancelled and Partially Cancelled on their route.
Trains that have been regulated are: Train no. 06071 Dadar - Tirunelveli Weekly Special journey dated July 15 is regulated between Udupi and Thokur section for four hours; Train no. 06333 Veraval - Thiruvananthapuram Central Weekly Special journey dated July 15 is regulated between Kumta and Thokur section for four hours.
Trains that have been short Terminated or Partially cancelled are: Train no. 01133 Mumbai CSMT - Mangaluru Jn. Special journey dated July 15 is short terminated at Surathkal and partially cancelled between Surathkal and Mangaluru Jn. Station; Train No. 01134 Mangaluru Jn. - Mumbai CSMT Special journey dated July 16 is partially cancelled between Mangaluru Jn. and Surathkal station and will start from Surathkal station on scheduled time.
Train no. 02620 Mangaluru Central - Lokmanya Tilak (T) Daily Special journey dated July 16 is fully cancelled.
KRCL stated that passengers bound from Mangaluru Central of Train no 02620 Mangaluru Central - Lokmanya Tilak (T) Daily Special are being road bridged to Surathkal to board Train no. 01134 Mangaluru Jn. - Mumbai CSMT Special ex. Surathkal.