Bengaluru-Mangaluru train services resume after landslide restoration

PTI, Aug 8, 2024, 8:48 PM IST

Mangaluru: The South Western Railway (SWR) resumed passenger train services on the Bengaluru-Mangaluru sector on Thursday.

The traffic on this line was disrupted due to landslides in the Sakleshpur-Subramanya sector on 26 July. The tracks that were covered with the debris were cleared by the Railways.

According to railway officials, the first train to pass through the restored section was Train No 16575, the Yeshwantpur-Mangaluru Junction Gomateshwara tri-weekly Express.

Overnight trains from Bengaluru and Vijayapura will resume soon. The return services from Mangaluru, Karwar, and Mangaluru Junction will start from Friday. However, trains on the affected stretch between Yadakumari and Kadagaravalli will operate at reduced speeds of 15 kmph until further notice.

The landslide occurred on the evening of July 26, when a portion of the track embankment near a bridge slipped due to torrential rains. This prompted the Mysuru Division of SWR to halt train operations and begin restoration work. The task was challenging, taking nearly 10 days to complete due to the inaccessibility of the stretch by road and frequent rain disruptions.

Despite these challenges, dedicated teams worked tirelessly to restore the track, which was certified ‘fit’ on August 4. An engine rolling test and a successful passage of a fully loaded goods rake on August 6 confirmed the safety of the track.

The first passenger train, the Gomateshwara Express, successfully passed through the restored section on Thursday amid cheers from the workforce present on the site.