After three days of suspension due to the torrential rains that wreaked havoc in the southern districts, rail movement on the Vanchi Maniyachchi-Thoothukudi section resumed on Wednesday, December 20, 2023, with the arrival of Mysuru-Thoothukudi Express at the Thoothukudi station.
Consequently, the departure of Thoothukudi-Mysuru Express, which was earlier reschduled to start from Virudhunagar, will now be from Thoothukudi.
The last train that was operated from the Thoothukudi railway station was the Chennai-bound Pearl City Express on the night of Sunday, December 17, amidst heavy rain. Subsequently, the railway tracks were submerged in over than three feet of flood water.
The engineering department of Madurai Division has now restored the railway track which suffered from an erosion of ballasts in the Manichchi-Thattaparai-Milavittan section. Besides, the Thoothukudi yard was also declared fit for train operation on Wednesday evening.
However, since the coach maintenance facilities at the Thoothukudi station could not be restored, the Pearl City Express could not be received at Thoothukudi railway station. The train was short-terminated at Madurai to take up coach maintenance.
Since the coach maintenance of Mysuru-Thoothukudi express is taken up in Mysuru, the train was brought to Thoothukudi.
Normal rail movement between Vanchi Maniyachchi and Tirunelveli railway junction, which was also affected due to the floods since Sunday, resumed on Wednesday.
Besides inundation of railway tracks at the Tirunelveli junction, ballasts beneath the tracks had been washed away in few places between Thalaiyuthu and Gangaikondan section. The restoration work has been completed on Tuesday.
Rail traffic on Tirunelveli-Tiruchendur alone remains suspended for the fifth consecutive day as the track between Seydunganallur and Srivaikuntam section that was badly damaged due to the floods, needs to be restored.
