Maharashtra Rains: Central Railway restores services in 24 hours

A landslide in the Dudhsagar-Caranzol Section led to derailment of a Mangalore-Mumbai special train

For the first time in 16 years since July 26, 2005, both the Mumbai-Pune and Mumbai-Nashik ghat sections remained shut for rail traffic on Thursday due to heavy rainfall. But the Central Railway was quick to restore them within 24 hours despite the extensive damage.

The Konkan Railway, however, continued to be affected due to heavy rain and water levels of the Vashishti river between Chiplun and Kamthe stations in Ratnagiri region rising above danger level. A landslide in Dudhsagar-Caranzol Section over the South Western Railway led to derailment of a Mangalore-Mumbai special train.

"The train suffered a derailment between Dudhsagar-Sonaulim section (the engine and a general coach next it partially derailed.) No passenger casualty or injury was reported. The passengers of the affected coach have been shifted to other coaches. The train was then pulled back to Kulem," a South Western Railway official said.

Central Railway officials said they had put in extensive efforts and labour to put right the damaged rail tracks and trains resumed on Thursday night. "The Karjat-Khopoli section remains to be opened, but it will be done by tonight," Central Railway Chief Public Relations officer Shivaji Sutar said on Friday.

He said totally disruptions were reported at about 21 locations due to waterlogging, washout of embankments, boulders and landslides in ghats and rivers flowing over danger level. About 4,300 cubic metres of embankment was washed out and about 1,900 cubic metres soil was involved in landslides. Boulders also fell in some sections.

"In the unprecedented extremely heavy rainfall in the Bhor and Thul ghats on Central Railway, the routes of Titwala-Igatpuri and Ambarnath-Lonavala bore the brunt, leading to fallen boulders, track wash out, soil on track, waterlogging, fallen trees, damage to signal posts, OHE, etc. affecting train services on both the sections. The intensity of rainfall from midnight can be gauged as Kasara received 136 mm rainfall in just 4 hours and Karjat received 86.8 mm in 1 hour (from 1 am to 2 am). Around 5.10 am, train services were suspended by Konkan Railway between Chiplun and Kamathe stations due to the Vashishti river rising above the danger level," an official added.

How lines were restored

Continuous monitoring 24x 7 by senior railway officers for early restoration of traffic and working of boulder special trains, various machines, labourers, etc. helped start work immediately at affected sites. The Railway administration ensured that no trains were held up in between stations and regulated them at stations like Kasara, Igatpuri, Badlapur, Khadavali, etc. A few trains were cancelled, diverted, short terminated and short originated en route stations. Despite heavy rainfall and blockage of roads, Railways removed hurdles like fallen boulders, fallen trees, track washout, etc. to make way for three trains stuck in Thul ghat section and one train in Bhor ghat section to a safer station. An NDRF team was kept ready at Kasara for any eventuality.

Fixed in 12 hours

The Ambarnath-Badlapur section was restored in a record time of 12 hours and the suburban services were extended from Ambarnath to Badlapur at 10.35 am. Gradually every section was made fit for traffic and suburban services started running on all sections from 9.30 pm. Train services towards Nashik started from 3.00 pm and towards Pune from 11.30 pm on Thursday.

At least 50 long distance trains including intercity trains were cancelled 50, 38 long distance trains were diverted and 50 long distance trains including intercity trains were short terminated.

50
No. of trains cancelled

21
No. of locations where disruptions were reported