South Western Railway Resumes Service After Landslide Disruption

The South Western Railway (SWR) resumed passenger train services on the Bengaluru-Mangaluru sector after landslides disrupted the route in late July. Restoration took nearly 10 days, and safety was confirmed on August 6. Services have resumed with reduced speeds in affected areas until further notice.

The South Western Railway (SWR) has successfully resumed passenger train services on the Bengaluru-Mangaluru sector as of Thursday.

The route had been disrupted due to landslides in the Sakleshpur-Subramanya sector on July 26. Railway officials announced that Train No 16575, the Yeshwantpur-Mangaluru Junction Gomateshwara tri-weekly Express, was the first to traverse the restored tracks.

Officials said that overnight services from Bengaluru and Vijayapura will soon resume, while return services from Mangaluru, Karwar, and Mangaluru Junction will begin on Friday. Trains will operate at reduced speeds of 15 kmph on the affected section between Yadakumari and Kadagaravalli until further notice. The extensive restoration work was completed in nearly 10 days despite significant challenges.

On the evening of July 26, a portion of the track's embankment near a bridge slipped due to torrential rains, prompting the Mysuru Division of SWR to halt operations and start restoration. Despite the inaccessibility of the stretch and frequent rain disruptions, teams worked tirelessly to clear the debris. By August 6, safety was confirmed through an engine rolling test and the successful passage of a fully loaded goods train.

The first passenger train, the Gomateshwara Express, successfully passed through the restored section on Thursday amid cheers from the workforce present on-site.

(With inputs from agencies.)