Flights resume normal operations
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Aug 27: Due to heavy soil erosion and flash flood in Chakki River, rail traffic remained completely suspended here today as Northern Railway cancelled 24 trains, to and from Jammu while 67 other trains were short terminated at different places.
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However, rail traffic continued to operate on the Katra-Srinagar stretch while there was no cancellation of flights due to bad weather on Wednesday.
Except a special train to facilitate the movement of stranded passengers of 12472 and three others (9224, 5656 and 4804), rail traffic to and from Jammu Railway Station remained completely suspended on Wednesday with the result hundreds of passengers were stranded at Jammu, Katra and Udhampur stations since yesterday.
On Tuesday, Northern Railway had cancelled 22 trains to and from Katra, Udhampur and Jammu while 27 other trains were short-terminated.
According to an official spokesperson of the Northern Railway, 24 trains to and from Jammu on Wednesday remained cancelled while 46 trains were short terminated, 16 were short originated and three others were diverted.
Among the cancelled trains, eight were to originate from Katra, three from Jammu and one from Udhampur while six trains had to reach Jammu, three to Katra and five to Udhampur.
Last evening, Northern Railway had announced the cancellation of 22 incoming and outgoing trains from Jammu and Katra railway stations, while 27 trains were short-terminated at various stations in the division due to heavy rain that lashed the region.
Even as the rail traffic was temporarily restored this morning with three trains (9224, 5656 and 4804) departing from Jammu after a day- long suspension, it was again halted due to flash floods and heavy soil erosion in the Chakki River area, official said, adding that only a special train for stranded passengers of Swaraj Express was later run in the evening from Jammu Tawi.
After arrival of stranded passengers from Sangarh, this special train departed from Jammu Tawi at 8 PM and it will stop at every station from Jammu Tawi to Pathankot Cant enroute, official added.
Official informed that trains number 22478 (Katra-new Delhi Vande Bharat), 14612 (Katra-Gazipur City Express), 20986 ((Udhampur-Kota Weekly Express), 12470 (Jammu Tawi-Kanpur Central), 12414 (Jammu Tawi-Ajmer) and 14662 (Jammu tawi-Barmer) will remain cancelled tomorrow.
For convenience of passengers, help desks have been set up at Jammu, Katra, Pathankot Cantt and Pathankot City Stations. Besides, stranded passengers are being served food and drinking water by the Railway Police and staff with the help of NGOs and civil society.
SSP Railways Jammu Shailendra Singh said the cops joined Railways personnel in clearing track at Manwal and other places.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson of Jammu Airport confirmed that there was no cancellation of any flight due to bad weather on Wednesday.
Today, there was arrival of 14 flights and equal number of departures. All flights were at schedule and there was only one cancellation (SG160/161 DEL-IXJ-SXR) due to operational reasons by the operator,” said the spokesperson.
As already reported by the Excelsior, no flight could operate here yesterday after 1 pm due to bad weather.
Pertinent to mention that Jammu region has been witnessing its heaviest rainfall in decades since Monday night, leading to floods, landslides, damaged bridges and roads. Jammu city yesterday recorded more than 380 mm of rainfall in less than 38 hours.
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