Monsoon Chaos: Landslides Halt Kalka-Shimla Train Services

The Kalka-Shimla railway line faced disruptions as a landslide struck between Gumman and Koti stations, causing train cancellations. Railway authorities estimated track restoration within five hours as Himachal Pradesh battled monsoon impacts with blocked roads and cumulative losses exceeding Rs 1,000 crore.

Train services on the iconic Kalka-Shimla railway line ground to a halt on Tuesday following a landslide between the Gumman and Koti stations, railway officials confirmed. The landslide, reported at kilometer 11/7-8 around 3:15 pm, led to the short-termination of Train No. 52458 after reaching Koti at 3:28 pm. Railway sources revealed that restoration of the affected track would likely take four to five hours, resulting in the cancellation of Train No. 52454 from Shimla, scheduled for a 5:45 pm departure, and Train No. 52456, slated to depart at 6:40 pm.

As engineering teams embarked on clearing the debris, the weather continued to pose challenges. A blanket of fog descended over Shimla, intensifying the adversity from persistent monsoon rains drenching various parts of the state. Himachal Pradesh has marked 197 fatalities during this monsoon period, including 81 due to rain-induced calamities, with another 116 lives lost in road mishaps. Financial losses have skyrocketed beyond Rs 1,000 crore, underscoring the mounting impact of this season's heavy rainfall.

State Emergency Operation Centre data released on Tuesday evening highlighted ongoing restoration efforts across Himachal Pradesh, where 88 roads remained closed at 5 pm, improving from 105 closures earlier in the day. Mandi was identified as the hardest hit, with 32 roads inaccessible, followed by Kullu with 25, and Sirmaur with 10, underscoring the widespread disruption besetting the region.