Daijiworld Media Network – Sullia (MS)
Sullia, Jul 29: Incessant rains have delayed the restoration of train tracks between Edakumeri and Kadagaravalli, where a landslide has occurred. Railway authorities estimate that the restoration work may take at least five days to complete.
A railway official stated, “Experts have reported that the work should be completed by Monday night. However, the stones and mud brought for repair are being washed away by the rain. Typically, asphalt rocks are kept in wagons at Sakleshpur for emergencies, but the stock is insufficient. We are now using additional rocks. Approximately 50 meters of track have been destroyed by the landslide and need to be reconstructed from the ground up.”
On Saturday, a minor mudslide occurred between Hassan and Shantigrama, which also caused a goods train to be stranded. Fortunately, no damage was reported.
To manage the situation, 430 railway employees are on-site, with 200 working during the morning shift, 120 at night, and 110 on standby. They are equipped with air-blow tents, raincoats, safety boots, temporary toilets, and necessary equipment. Four cooks are preparing food on-site, with additional supplies of food packets and water bottles coming from Subramanya Road railway station. A full medical team, including doctors and nurses, is present, with eight additional health professionals on standby at Sakleshpur railway station, working in two shifts.
The site is equipped with eight portable generators, 60 flood lights, eight torches, 10 extension boards, 140 litres of petrol, and gas cutters. Six Hitachi machines are working non-stop, and communication is maintained through control phones, satellite phones, Wi-Fi, and VSAT for live streaming.
The Karnataka Railway Consumers’ Forum has urged railway minister V Somanna and Dakshina Kannada MP Capt Brijesh Chowta to run alternate trains via Hubballi-Madgaon until the tracks are restored. The forum also suggested that running trains on the Mangaluru-Karwar-Madgaon-Londa-Hubballi-Arasikere-Bengaluru route would help alleviate pressure on the train schedule.