Heavy downpour disrupts train services

Hyderabad: Due to incessant rains in the two Telugu states and a huge discharge of flood water from upstream, a few railway tracks have been affected at several locations across the South Central Railway (SCR) network. This has led to numerous cancellations and deviations of routes.

The inundation of the track between Kesamudram-Intikanne, Tadla Pusapalli-Mahabubabad and Rayanapdu railway station resulted in cancellation / diversion of train services and many several were cancelled in the Vijayawada–Kazipet route. Around 177 trains were cancelled in these two days, around nine trains were partially cancelled and also 103 trains were diverted via alternate routes to avoid waiting in the affected Section.

With the halting of the few trains, several passengers on board trains faced difficulties. Meanwhile, Wide dissemination of information o¬n the train services has been taken up through Help Lines by South Central Railways. Help Lines have been set up at major stations such as Hyderabad, Secunderabad, Kazipet, Warangal, Khammam, Vijayawada, Rajahmundry, Guntur, Narasaraopet, Nalgonda, Miryalaguda, Nandyal, Donakonda, Nadikudi in Secunderabad, Vijayawada and Guntur divisions to convey information o¬n the current status of train services to the Public.

According to SCR officials, Arun Kumar Jain, General Manager of South Central Railway has been personally monitoring the situation and regularly interacting with the concerned DRMs to assess the situation at ground level. Emergency Control Rooms have been opened at SCR Headquarters -Rail Nilayam / Secunderabad and also at the Divisional Offices of Secunderabad, Guntur, Vijayawada manned round the clock by a multi-disciplinary team of senior officers. Liaison is being maintained with the local state Government officials to monitor the timely forecast of heavy rains and the discharge of flood water.