Rail movement on Tirunelveli-Tiruchendur section is all set to resume as Madurai Railway Division engineers have completed track restoration works after the section suffered multiple breaches in the earthen formation under the railway tracks during the December 17 flood.
Besides plugging the lengthier and deeper breaches, the signal lines and overhead electric line of the electrified section were also restored on Friday.
The officials had conducted a trial run with a light engine on the section on Thursday. Subsequently, the electrified section on the 61-km stretch was charged on Friday afternoon.
“Another round of trial run would be held by senior engineers on Saturday. The trial run would be held on both directions,” an engineer said.
The track on the section is now good enough for running trains at a speed of 60 kmph with a speed restriction of 20 kmph at the stretches where the breaches have been plugged.
Train movement on Tiruchendur-Tiruenelveli section has remained suspended since December 17 when heavy downpour pounded Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts.
Railway officials had stopped the Tiruchendur-Chennai Egmore Chendur Express at Srivaikuntam railway station on December 17 night as a precautionary measure as water level had touched dangerous level at many stretches.
Breaches were more pronounced between Seydunganallur and Nazareth railway stations.
Meanwhile, railway engineers have also restored the 8-km Milavittan-Thoothukudi harbour siding line which also suffered major breach under the railway tracks due to the unprecedented floods.
