Amidst tough climatic conditions, officials from the South Western Railway, Mysuru Division, have been working tirelessly to restore train services on the Hassan-Mangaluru section following a significant landslip at km 63/100 – 200 on July 26. Divisional Railway Manager, Mysuru, Shilpi Agarwal, stationed at the landslip site since July 27, described the restoration as particularly challenging due to the single-line section’s lack of road connectivity. The main task involves filling a 55-meter-deep valley from scratch each time a landslip occurs.
The landslip caused severe bank erosion at Minor Bridge No. 212 between Yedakumeri and Kadagaravalli stations, situated between Tunnel No. 13 and Tunnel No. 14. The first challenge was mobilizing men and materials, filling the valley with boulders, constructing a five-meter-wide platform, and erecting a gabion wall. By Wednesday, the team had reached a depth of 12 meters. Around 500 staff and laborers, along with 30 officers, are working round the clock, sourcing one lakh sandbags and approximately 5,000 cubic meters of boulders from quarries in Hassan, Sakleshpur, and Subrahmanya.
Transportation of materials involves loading boulders onto small wagons due to the tunnels on both sides. Eight excavators are deployed to unload the boulders at the site. Despite nearly 250mm of rain daily on July 29 and 30 complicating efforts, a medical team is present on site, and food is transported from Sakleshpur thrice daily. The complex operation requires careful coordination.
To ensure continuous monitoring, round-the-clock electricity, CCTV cameras, and drones are in use. Since July 15, Yedakumeri has received 2,707mm of rain compared to 1,507mm last year, complicating restoration efforts. Despite the challenges, train movement is expected to be restored soon.