Train services in the Ernakulam-Alapuzha-Kayankulam route have been suspended till Saturday morning, after trees fell on the track between Alappuzha and Mararikulam, damaging power lines. While a few short-distance trains such as Ernakulam-Alappuzha and the return train were cancelled, others were diverted through Kottayam.
Similarly, north-bound trains from Ernakulam terminated their service at Vallathol Nagar or Wadakkanchery, due to inundation of tracks at Shornur and other places.
The Ernakulam Area Manager of Southern Railway, Nithin Nobert, said that train services through Alappuzha and from here to Chennai were scheduled to resume from Saturday morning. It may take some more time to restore services to Mangalore, since tracks were inundated. The situation in Ernakulam Junction railway station, where tracks were partially inundated on Friday morning, had improved, he said.
Aimed at bringing relief to stranded passengers, a MEMU train operated from Ernakulam to Vallathol Nagar, at 3.15 p.m. The Railway also operated a passenger train service from here to Shornur at 6.10 p.m.
Due to flooding caused by heavy rain, trees falling on rail tracks and consequent disruption of rail traffic, changes have been made in train services as detailed below, as per a release sent by Southern Railway.
Cancellations on Saturday
The following trains scheduled to operate on Saturday have been cancelled: No.06015 Ernakulam–Velankanni special; No.16355 Kochuveli–Mangaluru express; No.16356 Mangaluru–Kochuveli express; No.56380 Kayankulam–Ernakulam passenger; Nos.56362 / 56363 Kottayam–Nilambur Road–Kottayam passenger trains; No.56362 / 56363 Kottayam–Nilambur Road–Kottayam passenger trains; No.66307 Ernakulam–Kollam MEMU; No.56365 Guruvayur–Punalur passenger; No.56366 Punalur–Guruvayur passenger; No.56388 Kayankulam–Ernakulam passenger; No.56300 Kollam–Alappuzha passenger; No.56302 Alappuzha–Ernakulam passenger; No.16841 Guruvayur–Thiruvananthapuram express; No.12076 Thiruvananthapuram–Kozhikode Jan Shatabdi Express and train No.12075 Kozhikkode–Thiruvananthapuram Jan Shatabdi Express. Train No.56305 Kottayam–Kollam passenger and No.06016 Velankanni–Ernakulam special scheduled for Sunday are cancelled.
Train No.16317 Kanniyakumari–Jammu Tawi Himsagar Express and No.16525 Kanniyakumari–Bengaluru Island Express were diverted to run via Tirunelveli. The other trains sent through the route are No.16315 Bengaluru–Kochuveli Express which will operate through Salem, Karur, Dindigul, Madurai, Tirunelveli and Nagercoil Town; No.16525 Kanniyakumari–Bengaluru Island Express via Nagercoil Town, Tirunelveli, Madurai, Dindigul, Karur, Erode and Salem; No.16317 Kanniyakumari–Shrimata Vaishno Devi Katra Himsagar Express diverted to run via Nagercoil Town and Tirunelveli and No.12660 Shalimar–Nagercoil Gurudev Express diverted to run via Palakkad, Palakkad Town, Pollachi, Dindigul, Madurai and Tirunelveli.
Special trains
The Railway would operate a one-way special train between Ernakulam Junction and Chennai Central station on August 15. It would begin from Ernakulam at 7.30 p.m. and it reach Chennai at 9.30 a.m. the next day.
In the meantime, P. Krishnakumar, general secretary of Thrissur Railway Passengers' Association (TRPA), has thanked Railway officials, especially the Ernakulam Area Manager for operating a MEMU train and Shornur Passenger train amidst adverse weather conditions.
Help desk
In the meantime, the Thiruvananthapuram Railway Division has opened a help desk to inform passengers of train services. It can be contacted on 9188292595 and 9188293595.
