Rains, waterlogging in Konkan delays 5 mail, express trains

Lakhs of passengers were inconvenienced when five mail/express trains along the Konkan route were delayed by three hours late Friday night and early Saturday morning. More delays are expected due to waterlogging owing to incessant rains along the route.

The tracks were completely submerged under water, due to which express trains were stopped on the section between Diwan Khavati and Khed and Aravali and Samgameshwar.

The trains delayed were the Konkan Kanya Express from Madgaon to Mumbai CST, the Rajya Rani from Sawantwadi station to Dadar, Poorna Express from Ernakulam to Pune via Panvel, the Mumbai Express from Mangalore to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) and the Mandovi Express from CST to Madgoan, which departed at 11.05 am instead of 7.10 am, as per the schedule.

Officials said they would have to monitor the situation on Saturday. “The Netravati Express via Kochuvelli express and the Garib Rath from Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) in the early evening are expected to be delayed as they are arriving to the city late so they will depart late too,” said an official on the condition of anonymity.

The Konkan Railway (KR) has always seen delays on its route during the monsoon season, as the region is known to receive heavy rainfall.

KR’s chief public relations officer L.K. Verma said that the effect on trains was limited only for a few hours late on Friday night. “The situation has normalised by Friday morning and the delay was caused by waterlogging. The situation was brought under control when the rain subsided and the water on the tracks was cleared,” said Mr Verma.

Union railway minister Suresh Prabhu has been promising that the doubling work of the KR would be completed in the next two years. The line has only two tracks (to and fro) for passenger trains unlike other railways, which have four tracks, which can serve as backups if any disruption takes place.