Railways suffered ₹7 cr.-worth damages due to floods in southern districts

Southern Railway's Madurai Division suffers ₹7 crore damages due to unprecedented rainfall in Tirunelveli & Thoothukudi districts.

Madurai Division of Southern Railway has suffered damages worth over ₹7 crore to its assets during the unprecedented rainfall reported in Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts on December 17 and 18, 2023.

Madurai Divisional Railway Manager Sharad Srivastava, who inspected restoration works in Tirunelveli-Tiruchendur section, said the damages to the railway track formation had been colossal.

The earthen formation under the track had been washed away for longer stretches and higher depths at many spots. “The track at km 37 (near Nazareth) has suffered the worst damages,” the DRM told The Hindu here on Tuesday.

The force of the floodwater was so high that even concrete structures that had been put up to strengthen the earthen bunds were washed away in a particular spot, he said.

The delay in restoration works was due to the inability of railway engineers to approach the tracks initially as roads were cut off in many places. “Besides, the spots along the tracks were slushy through which heavy machinery could not be moved,” he added.

Stating that multiple breaches of irrigation tank bunds had left the worst trail of destruction of railway property, he said the railway officials had now planned to keep in constant touch with Water Resources Department officials during heavy rains.

Though railway employees kept a tab on the rising water level along the tracks, information on breach of tanks in close proximity to the railway lines would help the officials take prompt decision on continuing with rail movement, Mr. Srivastava said.