Heavy rains in North India cause Northern Railways to cancel 17 trains and divert 12 others in an unprecedented deluge
Heavy rains in North India cause Northern Railways to cancel 17 trains and divert 12 others in an unprecedented deluge
According to a Northern Railways spokeswoman, waterlogging has caused traffic to be halted at four sites.
Unrelenting downpours and flooding across North India have thrown railway services into disarray as the Northern Railways cancelled 17 trains and diverted 12 on July 10, 2023, disrupting travel for thousands of commuters.
Numerous areas of northern India were battered by constant rain over the weekend, which disrupted daily life and led to the cancellation of over 17 trains. Due to severe rains, The Northern Railways said on Sunday, July 9, that it had cancelled or diverted about 17 trains.
The Northern Railways said in a statement that four places had their traffic halted because of waterlogging brought on by the torrential rain. The areas where traffic has been stopped include Noganwan (Ambala) and New Morinda, Nangal Dam and Anandpur Sahib, and Kiratpur Sahib and Bharatgarh.
As heavy rainfall lashed significant parts of North India, the torrential conditions led to waterlogging on train tracks, landslides in mountainous regions, and poor visibility, presenting grave safety concerns for passengers and rail operations. In response to these adverse conditions, Northern Railways took the major decision of cancelling and diverting several trains to ensure the safety and well-being of the passengers.
The extensive flooding brought on by the intense monsoon rains has led to the closure of several key rail routes. This has caused the Indian Railways to halt many trains mid-journey and reroute others, causing widespread inconvenience and distress among travellers.
The cancelled trains include both long-distance express services and several regional passenger trains. This has significantly impacted daily commuters and those travelling longer distances. Among the notable train cancellations were the Punjab Mail, Amritsar Shatabdi, and the iconic Kalka-Shimla Express, a lifeline for many residents and tourists visiting the famous hill station of Shimla.
Simultaneously, the Northern Railways has taken proactive measures to reroute 12 trains. These diversions were primarily caused by landslides in the mountainous regions of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, where heavy rainfall has made the terrain unstable. Rerouted trains include the Rajdhani Express to Delhi, the Jammu Tawi Express, and the Lucknow Shatabdi.
CPRO Northern Railway Deepak Kumar mentioned that due to the persistent rains, a tight watch is being kept to run trains from the Delhi area safely. “To remove water from the rails, eight pumps are being used in the Delhi-Sabzi Mandi region and the trainable part of the station. According to Kumar, trains continue to run as usual in the Delhi region.
Railway authorities have been working tirelessly to clear the tracks and restore services as quickly as possible, prioritising those lines serving key cities and towns. However, the persistent rains and flooding have hampered these efforts, and it is anticipated that the complete restoration of rail services may take several days, if not weeks.
In the meantime, Northern Railways has arranged refunds for the passengers of the cancelled trains and provided additional assistance where needed. The authorities have also issued a series of advisories, urging passengers to check the status of their trains online or through their helpline numbers before embarking on their journey.
This situation has underscored the increasing vulnerability of India’s railway infrastructure to extreme weather events, which have been growing in intensity and frequency, potentially due to climate change. This crisis has highlighted the need for investment in more resilient infrastructure alongside better disaster response strategies.
The Amritsar Super Fast Express, Chandigarh Intercity Express, Firozpur Cantt Express, and Chandigarh to Amritsar Junction Express are among the trains that have been cancelled. Amritsar Express, Mumbai Central to Amritsar Express, and Daulatpur Chowk Express are among the trains that have been diverted.
Over the weekend, numerous areas of north India were battered by heavy rains that resulted in 18 fatal landslides and other rain-related disasters. Most rivers in the northern states were in flood simultaneously, including the Yamuna in Delhi.
The national capital had the most single-day rainfall in more than 40 years, inundating roadways and underpasses, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Rainwater also found its way inside homes and businesses in other parts of the capital city.
The Northern Railways has been commended for its quick action to safeguard passengers and rail employees. However, the challenges continue as the monsoon rains show no sign of abating. It remains to be seen how the railway authorities will adapt to these adverse weather conditions and what lessons will be drawn from this crisis for future disaster management in India’s extensive railway network.
