Mangaluru: South Western Railway (SWR) cancelled five trains and diverted several others after a landslip blocked tracks between Yedakumari and Shirivagilu stations in Mysuru division, disrupting services on the Mangaluru-Bengaluru route.A railway official told TOI that the ghat section received 245-250mm of rain Saturday night. The landslip was detected by the loco pilot of a goods train travelling on the Up line. After spotting debris on the track, the pilot alerted the station master, who informed the Mysuru control room.The goods train was brought back to Subrahmanya Road station, while a railway material train was dispatched to the affected site to assist restoration. Train services between Subrahmanya Road and Sakleshpur remained temporarily suspended.“Debris has accumulated on the track, and restoration work is under way. Continuous heavy rain in the ghat region is slowing the operation. Traction, signalling and telecommunication systems must also be inspected before services resume,” the official said.Trains cancelledSWR cancelled five trains scheduled for Aug 2: 16595 KSR Bengaluru-Karwar Panchaganga Express, 16596 Karwar-KSR Bengaluru Panchaganga Express, 56920 Vijayapura-SSS Hubballi Passenger, 16540 Mangaluru Junction-Yesvantpur Junction Express and 16575 Yesvantpur Junction-Mangaluru Junction Gomateshwara Express. Several other trains were diverted through alternative routes.Constable aspirants miss examThe disruption also resulted in around 50 aspirants from Mangaluru missing the Karnataka Civil Police Constable examination. Additional DC Raju K said most were travelling to examination centres in Vijayapura, Bengaluru and Davanagere.The district administration explored the possibility of allowing them to take the examination locally by coordinating with the Karnataka Examinations Authority. However, this was not feasible because additional question papers and answer sheets were unavailable at local centres, he said.Meanwhile, hundreds of passengers aboard train no 16585 were stranded at Hassan station around 3am after the service was cancelled. Passengers alleged that they received little official assistance and had to scramble for autorickshaws, buses and private cabs.Among those affected were Ramesh, 48, and his 11-year-old daughter Soukhya, who were travelling to Mangaluru for the 39th National Under-11 Open and Girls FIDE-rated Chess Championship. Ramesh said several parents and players pooled resources to hire a private cab to Mangaluru after being stranded at Hassan.The railways, however, said alternative travel arrangements and refreshments were provided to affected passengers at Hassan and Subrahmanya Road stations. General manager P Ananth and principal heads of departments are monitoring the situation, while Mysuru divisional railway manager Mudit Mittal is supervising restoration work.
