Heavy rainfall in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana has caused significant disruptions in rail services, prompting the South Central Railway (SCR) to cancel 438 trains and divert 137 others until September 6. The railway authority is working urgently to repair damaged tracks and reduce passenger inconvenience.
The railways have been severely impacted between Kesamudram-Intakanne and Tadla Pusapalli-Mahabubabad, where floodwaters have washed away embankments. This section is vital for connecting Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra with Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. Flooding in these areas has further hampered repair efforts.
At the Rayanapadu junction in Vijayawada, a major hub on the Hyderabad-Vizag route, flooding has reached up to six feet, disrupting services extensively. In response, special trains have been arranged from Vijayawada to help affected passengers.
Arun Kumar Jain, SCR's General Manager, has inspected the restoration work on the Intakanne-Kesamudram route and has directed teams to work around the clock to resume normal operations as quickly as possible.
"Refunds are being issued, and special arrangements are in place at stations for passengers on cancelled trains or those delayed by over three hours. Passengers who booked online through IRCTC will receive a full refund automatically," an official stated.
On Sunday night, special trains were deployed from Vijayawada, and affected passengers were transported from Kondapalli to Vijayawada by RTC buses to manage the disruption.
A senior SCR official reported, "The rains have damaged rail infrastructure, and assessing the loss is ongoing. The restoration of the embankment is challenging due to flooding, but we anticipate resuming train services in a day or two based on repair progress."
Railway authorities are mobilizing significant resources, including manpower and machinery, to repair the tracks promptly and minimize passenger inconvenience.
"Refunds are being processed, and stations are equipped to handle passengers affected by cancellations and delays. For cancelled trains, online IRCTC bookings will automatically receive a full fare refund," added another official.
Restoration efforts are ongoing with the goal of resuming normal train services as soon as possible.
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