Mangaluru, 21 June

Train services in the critical Sakleshpur–Subrahmanya Road section in Karnataka were disrupted in the early hours of Saturday following a landslide between Edakumari and Shiribagilu stations in Dakshina Kannada district, officials said.

Boulders from the hill slipped and fell onto the railway track used by cargo trains, causing delays in scheduled services, they said.

According to officials, Train No. 16511 KSR Bengaluru–Kannur Express arrived at Kadagaravalli at 3.40 am and was delayed in departure due to the obstruction. Similarly, Train No. 16585 SMVT Bengaluru–Murdeshwar Express, which reached Sakleshpur at 3.10 am, and Train No. 07377 Vijayapura–Mangaluru Central Express Special, which arrived at 6.26 am, were also delayed.

In response to the disruption, the railway authorities arranged for drinking water, light refreshments, and tea for passengers onboard the affected trains, according to an official statement.

Passengers have been advised to track real-time updates of their trains using the NTES or ‘Where is My Train’ mobile applications. For emergencies, they can reach out via Twitter to @RailwaySeva or call the helpline number 139, said Manjunath Kanamadi, Chief Public Relations Officer of South Western Railway, Hubballi, in the statement.