Landslide threat shuts down Konkan line

The Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) briefly restored train service between Padil and Thokur on Mangalore-Goa sector on Sunday, before suspending it for 48 hours, following a warning against possible landslides..

According to sources in the Konkan Railway Geology department, the side of a hillock between Padil and Thokur had become loose and might slide down on to the track, posing a danger to passengers. The area was experiencing intermittent rainfall.

Geologists in the department warned the KRCL regional offices in Palakkad and Karwar against the possible landslide. Following the warning, train services were suspended from 10pm on Sunday to 10pm on Tuesday.

Heavy earth moving machinery has been re-deployed on the stretch and personnel of the railway safety inspectorate were still stationed at Thokkur near Mangalore.

Earlier, train service between Padil and Thokkur was restored around 5pm, and the KRCL rescheduled the train times. Trains from Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Ernakulum were asked to run slow on the 21 km stretch between Manjeshwar and Surathkal, to help railway engineers to monitor and re-adjust the tracks.

The first train that passed through the line after the restoration was the Okha-Ernakulum (Train No. 6337).