Rail operations between Tirunelveli and Kovilpatti, which were suspended since Monday, are likely to resume on Wednesday with railway officials having taken up track restoration works on a war footing on Tuesday.
Floodwater that had inundated five tracks since Sunday night in the Tirunelveli Railway Junction has been pumped out. The tracks have been certified for rail operations. Meanwhile, railway engineers have readied the tracks for operation on different stretches for 300 metres between Thalaiyuthu and Gangaikondan railway stations on Tirunelveli-Kovilpatti section, where the ballast and soil under the tracks were washed away. “The tracks are ready for rail operations. We will carry out testing by taking up shunting,” an official said. Announcements to the public about on resumption of train services on the Tirunelveli-Kovilpatti section would be made by Wednesday, an official said. The track between Maniyachchi, Thattaparai and Milavittan railway stations towards Thoothukudi was also almost restored. However, tracks at the Thoothukudi railway station remained waterlogged.
A railway official said works to restore the track between Srivaikuntam and Seydunganallur railway stations could not be resumed till Tuesday due to water stagnation. “Even materials couldn’t be transported to the site...,” he said.Flooding had led to cancellation of many unreserved express trains running between Tirunelveli to Thoothukudi, Tiruchendur and Sengottai, including the Tiruchendur to Vanchi Maniyachchi Special; T.NO 22627/22628 Tiruchi to Thiruvananthapuram-Tiruchi Express; T.NO 16792 Palghat-Tirunelveli Express; and T.NO 20606 Tiruchendur-Chennai Egmore Express for the second day on Tuesday. In a late night development, Southern Railway announced resumption of a few train services that were earlier cancelled, diverted or short-terminated, up to Tirunelveli and beyond.
Some were short terminated between Dindigul and Kovilpatti railway stations.
