A landslide near Parassala railway station in the Thiruvananthapuram district of southern Kerala has disrupted railway operations. The incident resulted in the derailment of the engine of the Bilaspur-Tirunelveli Express.
As a precautionary measure, the railways have suspended train services. Six passenger trains have been cancelled, and the affected express train has been partially cancelled.
Engine Derails After Train Comes to a Halt
The incident occurred at approximately 2:19 AM amidst heavy rainfall in the area. Due to the landslide, train number 22619 had to be stopped at Parassala station. According to information provided by the railways, the engine derailed after the train had come to a stop.
All Passengers and Staff Safe
Southern Railway has issued a statement confirming that all passengers and staff on board the train are safe. A relief locomotive has been dispatched to assist, and efforts are underway to restore rail services. An accident relief train has also been sent to the site.
Passengers Being Transported Onward by Bus
The journey of the train involved in the incident has been terminated at Neyyattinkara due to the landslide; it will not proceed any further. Arrangements are being made to transport the passengers to their destinations via alternative trains or buses. Meanwhile, six passenger trains scheduled for Thursday have been completely cancelled. The cancelled trains include the Thiruvananthapuram North–Nagercoil Junction Passenger, Nagercoil Junction–Kollam Junction Passenger, Nagercoil Junction–Thiruvananthapuram North Passenger, Kollam Junction–Nagercoil Junction Passenger, and Thiruvananthapuram North–Nagercoil Junction Passenger.
Changes in timings
The Kanyakumari–Mangaluru Central Parashuram Express, which usually departs from Kanyakumari at 3:45 AM, has been rescheduled to depart at 7:00 AM.
Helpline numbers issued
For the convenience of passengers and to provide the latest updates, the Railways has issued temporary contact numbers: 9188241681, 9188523905, and 8590137970.
It is worth noting that on Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a warning for very heavy rainfall in the Thiruvananthapuram district, along with an ‘Orange Alert’. The Meteorological Department has also issued a ‘Yellow Alert’ for the period from October 22 to October 25, as heavy rainfall is expected during this time.
