Thousands of rail and road commuters were stranded in waterlogged areas, since passenger transport from Ernakulam to other districts by rail and road was thrown into disarray due to submerged tracks and roads.
Train services in the Thiruvananthapuram-Kottayam-Ernakulam and Ernakulam-Shoranur-Palakkad sections have been suspended till 4 p.m. on Friday due to the alarming rise in water levels beneath bridges. However, trains are being operated on the Thiruvanananthapuram-Alappuzha-Ernakulam route, with speed restrictions.
Movement of vehicles through numerous arterial roads, including Kalamassery-Aluva NH 66 corridor and parts of Edappally-Muthakunnam NH 17, was hit as they came under water.
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Metro services
Though the Kochi metro services were halted due to the inundation of the coach-maintenance yard at Muttom on Thursday morning, a few trains began operation from 4 p.m. in the 18-km Aluva-MG Road-Pettah corridor.
“Trains will be operated at lesser speed [25 km per hour], as compared to the 40 to 50 kmph speed as a precautionary measure. Commuters can travel for free on Thursday and Friday,” said a KMRL spokesperson. All trains have been parked either on the ramp at the yard or over the metro viaduct, to prevent damage due to flooding. The operations control centre has been shifted from the yard to the Muttom station. Trains were operated on Thursday with minimum number of employees manning stations. But they were packed with commuters who had no other mode of transport to rely on.
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The premises of a few metro stations like the one at Companyppady were flooded, forcing commuters to wade through water to access it. “We decided to operate trains from the evening since thousands of people, including those who were rescued from buildings whose ground floor was flooded, were stranded along the metro corridor. Many were seen boarding lorries to reach their destinations,” metro sources said. A railway official said announcements were being made at railway stations where passengers were stranded, exhorting those bound for northern States to board trains that were being diverted from Thiruvananthapuram through Tirunelveli, Salem, and Dindigul. “They can also avail the rail-enquiry number 138 to seek guidance from staff and to cancel tickets,” a Railway official said.
The Kerala Stated Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) operated services from Ernakulam to southern districts through Alappuzha, while services to northern districts were minimal. Services to places like Muvattupuzha, Thodupuzha, Perumbavoor, Paravur, and other suburban towns were affected due to heavy waterlogging. “Long-distance and inter-State services too have been affected. Our employees tried their best to ply services to help out stranded commuters, and also coordinated with rescue personnel in many areas,” said a senior KSRTC official. Most private buses too kept off the road, fearing damage to engines. The State Water Transport Department (SWTD) suspended services to West Kochi and Kakkanad due to rising level of backwaters and subsequent inundation of ferry jetties. “Three ferries were deployed in Pizhala, Chittoor, and other islands to rescue stranded people,” sources said.