Landslide occurs near Sakleshpur

Mangaluru: A landslide near Sakleshpur has brought train services between Mangaluru and Bengaluru to a standstill, leaving thousands of passengers stranded and disrupting travel plans. The landslide, which occurred in the early hours of Saturday, have caused significant delays as railway authorities scramble to clear the debris and restore normal operations.

The landslide took place at 12:30 am between Sakleshpur and Ballupete stations in the Mysuru Division, leading to the suspension of train services along this critical route. The disruption has particularly impacted five major train services, including the KSR Bengaluru-Kannur Express, SMVT Bengaluru-Murdeshwar Express, and the Panchaganga Super-Fast Express.

Passengers, many of whom were en route to Bengaluru for work or returning home for the weekend, found themselves stranded at various stations, including Alur, Hassan, and Sakleshpur. While some passengers opted to walk to the main road to catch buses, the railway authorities provided food and arranged alternative transportation for those who remained on board.

Senior officials from South Western Railway, including General Manager Arvind Srivastava and Divisional Railway Manager Shilpi Agarwal, are overseeing the restoration efforts. Relief materials and rescue teams have been dispatched to the affected areas, and work is ongoing to clear the debris and restore normal train services.

This disruption comes just two days after train services between Mangaluru and Bengaluru had resumed on August 8, after an earlier landslide.