Several trains on the Mangaluru-Mumbai sector were either cancelled or diverted on alternative routes following a massive landslip on the Mangaluru-Mumbai line (Konkan Railway network) near Kulashekara here on Friday morning.
The landslip occurred at around 10.40 a.m. and was notified to the Railway authorities who effected regulation, diversion, and cancellation of services. Occurring after the Kulashekara tunnel on the Padil-Jokatte section, the landslip triggered by heavy rains brought down a portion of the retaining wall too thereby blocking the track. Though Palakkad Division of Southern Railway immediately commenced track restoration works, it may take a long time for resumption of services, officials said.
While Train No. 02620 Mangaluru Central-Mumbai LTT express special of Friday was cancelled, Train No. 01133 Mumbai CSMT-Mangaluru Junction express special was short-terminated at Surathkal and its pairing service 01134 left from Surathkal instead of Mangaluru Junction.
Train No. 02617 Ernakulam-Hazrath Nizamuddin Mangala Lakshadweep express special leaving on Friday was diverted via Palakkad, Salem, Jolarpettai and Itarsi. Similarly, Train Nos. 09311 Kochuveli-Indore express special was diverted via Palakkad and Saalem and Train No. 06097 Kochuveli-Yog Nagari Rishikesh express special was diverted via Padil, Hassan and Madgaon on Friday.
Konkan Railway Corporation in a release said Train No. 06586 Karwar-Bengaluru daily Panchaganga express special of Friday was fully cancelled while South Western Railway’s Bengaluru Divisional Manager tweeted to say Train No. 06585 Bengaluru-Karwar express too was cancelled. The Mangaluru-Mumbai line had witnessed massive landslips between Mangaluru Junction and Kulashekara tunnel in 2019 where train services were disrupted nearly for a month. Friday’s landslip has occurred after the Kulashekara tunnel towards Jokatte.
