B’luru-M’luru train services start from today

Team Udayavani, Oct 10, 2018, 1:14 PM IST

Mangaluru: The passenger train services along Bengaluru-Mangaluru line, which were suspended for over 55 days is set to resume on Wednesday, October 10^th. The journey of Bengaluru-Kannur/Karwar Express (Train No 16511/16513 via Shravanabelagola) starting at 7.15 p.m. from Bengaluru, will mark the resumption of the train service.

However, the Karwar/Kannur to Bengaluru night express trains will resume only on Thursday October 11^th, as Train Nos 16518/16524 (via Mysuru) with the rakes of 16511/16513. Similarly, day train service from Karwar (Train No 16516) will be available only on Saturday Oct 13^th, as its rake, running as Train No 16515 Yeshwantpur-Karwar tri-weeky express, will have its journey on Friday Oct 12^th, to Karwar. 

According to South Western Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer E. Vijaya, the day train service will resume on Thursday Oct 11^th, with the running of Train No 16575 Yeshwantpur-Mangaluru Junction tri-weekly express starting its journey from Yeshwantpur at 7.10 a.m.

Multiple landslides

Since August 14^th, this stretch was closed for trains following multiple landslips on the Sakleshpur-Subrahmanya Road Ghat stretch. In all, 65 landslips were reported in the section between August 14 and September 20, almost at the rate of two per day.

The more than normal rain of 9,500 mm received between January and September in this section as opposed to the normal rainfall of about 3,000 mm in the region was one of the causes for the multiple landslides.

The South Western Railway was confident of resuming train services by September-end; however a landslip at the mouth of Tunnel No 48 near Siribagilu Railway Station on September 20 further delayed clearing work.

By October 1, the stretch was fully cleared of debris and the track restored. Then the South Western Railway began operating goods train along the stretch. Satisfied the section is safe for passenger train operations, the South Western Railway decided to resume services here.