Movement of all trains on UNESCO world heritage Kalka-Shimla rail line has been suspended after cracks developed in a railway bridge in Shimla.
Shimla: All train services have been suspended on the UNESCO World Heritage Kalka-Shimla rail line between Jutogh and Summer Hill stations after cracks developed in a railway bridge in Shimla. The crack developed on the bridge on Friday night, and operations were suspended on Saturday. The suspension of services left passengers, especially tourists, disappointed as they had to reschedule their journeys.
Shimla, known for its cooler weather, is currently experiencing a swell of visitors seeking respite from the blistering heat in the lower regions as well as those taking advantage of school holidays.
A team from the railway bridge department made their way from Delhi to Shimla this past Saturday afternoon to conduct a thorough examination of the area. Necessary repair work has led to the temporary suspension of traffic on the Kalka-Shimla route, specifically between Jutogh and Summer Hill stations, as a result of emerging hollow spaces in the vicinity of the bridge.
#WATCH | Virender Thakur, Local Councillor Summer Hill says, ” …Yesterday some officers came and checked and found cracks on the railway bridge. We hope that govt tries to restore the track as soon as possible…” pic.twitter.com/kwTopseTEx
— ANI (@ANI) June 23, 2024
Authorities have declared that for the sake of facilitating better passenger comfort, all seven pairs of train services will be up and running on both Sunday and Monday. They’ve adjusted the trains’ tracks to commence or terminate at various stations such as Tara Devi, Kandaghat, Solan, and Barog.
As we speak, critical repair work is taking place near bridge number 800 to rapidly mend the impacted segment. The previous year’s monsoon season triggered a significant landslide near Summerhill that greatly damaged the railway track. Because of this incident, a 40-meter-long iron bridge has been established by the railway authorities at the affected location.