Train Services Hit by Landslips on Sakleshpur Stretch; Restoration Underway
Train services were severely disrupted late on Saturday night after landslips triggered by heavy rain occurred on the railway track between Yedakumari and Shirvagilu stations in Sakleshpur taluk. The incident was reported at around 8.45 p.m., according to South Western Railways.
A bulletin issued by the railway zone said restoration work began soon after the incident. A relief material train was dispatched to the affected spot to assist in the restoration operations. Meanwhile, the Railways made catering arrangements at Hassan, Subrahmanya Road, Shirivagilu and Bantwal stations for the convenience of stranded passengers.
Manjunath Kanamadi, Chief Public Relations Officer of South Western Railway, said the restoration work was taking longer than expected due to repeated landslips on the stretch. He advised passengers to check the latest updates before planning their journeys.
Several trains were halted or diverted due to the disruption. The Mangaluru Central–Vijayapura Express (17378), which had commenced its journey from Mangaluru, was stopped at Shirivagilu at 7.58 p.m. The Murdeshwar–SMVT Bengaluru Express (16586), which had started from Murdeshwar, was stopped at Subrahmanya Road at 8.50 p.m. The Kozhikode–KSR Bengaluru Express (16512), which had commenced its journey from Kozhikode, was stopped at Neralakatte at 9.56 p.m.
The Karwar–KSR Bengaluru Express (16596) was diverted via Mangaluru–Shorapur–Palakkad–Erode–Jolarpet to reach Bengaluru, while the KSR Bengaluru–Karwar Express (16595) was stopped at Hassan railway station.
On Sunday, the Railways cancelled the Mangaluru Junction–Yesvantpur Express (16540) and the Yesvantpur–Mangaluru Junction Express (16575) due to the repeated landslips on the stretch. The decision was taken to ensure passenger safety and avoid further inconvenience.
The affected stretch lies in the ghat section of Sakleshpur, an area prone to landslips during the monsoon season. Railway officials said they were monitoring the situation closely and that restoration work would continue until normal services are resumed.
