Gusty winds uprooted trees disrupting rail and road traffic on the Villupuram-Tiruchi chord line and the Tiruchi-Karur National Highway even as some parts of the district received sharp showers on Tuesday evening.
Rail traffic was disrupted on Villupuram-Tiruchi chord line section after an uprooted tree fell over the overhead electric wire snapping it between Pullambadi and Kattur.
This is the second time that the power lines have snapped on this section within a week owing to inclement weather. On Tuesday, the overhead electric wire snapped a few metres away from the spot where another tree had fell on Friday night disrupting rail traffic for several hours.
A team of divisional railway personnel and a tower wagon were immediately dispatched to the spot to carry out restoration works. Railway sources said the Tiruchi-Howrah Express which was hauled by an electric locomotive from Tiruchi Junction was detained at the Srirangam Railway Station, while the Madurai – bound Vaigai Express also hauled by an electric engine from Chennai was halted at the Pullambadi railway station.
A Tiruchi-bound goods train hauled by a diesel locomotive was halted at Lalgudi station and the engine was detached and used as a relief loco and brought to Srirangam.
The relief loco was attached to the Tiruchi - Howrah Express and moved up to Pullambadi from where the train was again hauled by an electric locomotive.
The relief diesel loco was subsequently moved to Pullambadi and attached to the Vaigai Express to enable it to proceed with its journey.
The Vaigai Express arrived behind schedule by about two hours at Tiruchi Junction.
Meanwhile, a massive tree on the banks of the River Cauvery was uprooted at Kambarasampettai on the Tiruchi-Karur National Highway in the outskirts of the city, disrupting traffic on the highway for about a couple of hours.
The tree fell across the highway, obstructing traffic at around 5 p.m. An emergency rescue tender and a team of Fire Service personnel from the Tiruchi Fire Station rushed to the spot to remove the tree.
Using power saws the fire service personnel cut the tree trunk into pieces and removed them with the assistance of locals. Traffic came to a halt on the highway and some vehicles were diverted via the Musiri highway.
Traffic resumed on the highway after the two-hour operation that was supervised by Divisional Fire Officer G.Ilango.
The overhead electrical restoration works were over around 10.30 p.m. The Tiruchi-bound Pallavan Express from Chennai which was detained midway, arrived more than one hour behind the scheduled time in Tiruchi.
