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 Many trains diverted on alternative routes owing to landslide

With Southern Railway still in the process of clearing the landslide debris near Kulashekara, between Padil and Jokatte Railway stations near here, two trains from Mangaluru towards Goa were cancelled while two to Mumbai were operated from Surathkal.

A few trains running between the north and Kerala were cancelled while many were diverted via Palakkad and Jolarpettai, according to an official communique from the Palakkad Division of the Southern Railway.

The Mangaluru Central- Madgaon- Mangaluru Central Passenger (56640/41) as well as the Intercity Express (22636/35) were cancelled till Sunday.

The Mangaluru Central -Madgaon- Mangaluru Central DEMU (70106/05) was operated from Thokur on Saturday while Mangaluru Central- Mumbai LTT- Mangaluru Central Matsyagandha Express (12620/19) and Mangaluru Junction -Mumbai CSMT- Mangaluru Junction Express (12134/33) were being operated from Surathkal.

The Mumbai trains would be operated from Surathkal on Sunday too.

The Southern Railway had arranged bus services from Mangaluru Central and Mangaluru Junction for passengers of these two Mumbai trains on Friday and Saturday.

Cancelled services

12224/12223 Ernakulam-Mumbai LTT- Ernakulam Duronto Express of August 25, 12202 Kochuveli- Mumbai LTT Garib Rath Express, 22634 Hazrath Nizamuddin- Thiruvananthapuram Superfast Express and 16337 Okha- Ernakulam Express of August 25 have been cancelled.

Diverted services

12978 Ajmer- Ernakulam Marusagar Express of August 23; 12218 Chandigarh- Kochuveli Kerala Sampark Kranti Express of August 23; 16345 Lokmanya Tilak Terminus- Thiruvananthapuram Netravati Express of August 23, 24 and 25; 22113 Lokmanya Tilak Terminus- Kochuveli Express of August 24; 22656 Nizamuddin- Thiruvananthapuram Superfast Express of August 23; 12284 Nizamuddin- Ernakulam Duronto Express of August 24; 12618 Nizamuddin- Ernakulam Mangala Lakshadweep Express of August 23 and 24; 16335 Gandhidham- Nagercoil Express of August 23; 12978 Ajmer- Ernakulam Marusagar Express of August 23; and 12617 Ernakulam- Hazrath Nizamuddin Mangala Lakshadweep Express were diverted on alternative routes, via Jolarpettai and Palakkad.
Restoration work

The Southern Railway has imposed a 72-hours block of the section since landslides were reported on Friday morning. Chief Track Engineer Kalimuthan from Chennai is personally supervising the restoration work at the site, according to sources.

Loose soil from the adjacent hillock is constantly coming down due to incessant rains in the region and becoming slurry on the track complicating the work.