Northern Railways cancel train operations as precautionary measure amid flash floods

New Delhi [India], July 13 : Amid heavy rain and flash floods, Northern Railway has suspended train services as a precautionary measure due to the flood-like situation.

The General Manager of the Northern Railway toldthat due to the flood-like situation, the railways had to stop train services as a precautionary measure. 

"It rained heavily on July 8-9...The rain that happens in the mountains comes down to the plains, and as a result, many of our tracks got submerged. So as a precautionary measure, we had to stop the train service,” said General Manager of Northern Railways Shobhan Chaudhuri. 

He further said the line from Ambala to Delhi via Saharanpur and Meerut was also closed. On July 11, Delhi Shahdara's old bridge railway line was also closed due to increasing water levels. 

"On July 9, the Kalka-Shimla line was closed. On July 9-10, maximum services were closed in the Ambala division and between the Jalandhar-Firozepur divisions," he added.

"The line from Ambala to Delhi via Saharanpur and Meerut was also closed," he said.

On July 11, the water level rose in Delhi Shahdara's old bridge area, which was also closed. 

The GM further said that as the Yamuna River is still overflowing, railway services have been terminated, and as soon as the water recedes, the railway will conduct an inspection of the tracks and bridges to ensure proper functioning and then open the railway service in those section. 

“Water has started to recede in the Ambala area, and certain important sections have started functioning. The Yamuna is still overflowing. Services have been terminated, and as soon as the water recedes, we will conduct an inspection of the tracks and the bridges to ensure proper functioning, and then we will open the section," says Shobhan Chaudhuri (General Manager of Northern Railways) on train services after rainfall.

Meanwhile, the Delhi police have initiated a  rescue operation to evacuate people to a safer place amid the rising water level of the Yamuna River.

"The water level has risen, and a rescue operation is underway. We have rescued seven people. We are trying to convince people and move them to safer grounds. People have never seen the water level rise to this level, and they do not want to believe that it would rise further. Convincing them has become a little difficult. The people do not want to leave their belongings; therefore, we are trying to evacuate them with their belongings and shift them to a safer place," said Additional DCP Achin Garg. 

The water in the Yamuna breached the danger-level mark on Sunday.

Officials said that the Yamuna River in Delhi, which is overflowing, reached a record-breaking level of 207.55 metres on Wednesday, surpassing the previous highest level in 44 years.

In the wake of rising levels of water, rescue and rehabilitation teams are engaged in relocating those living in low-lying areas to safer locations.

Regional Weather Forecast Centre (RWFC) in the national capital on Thursday predicted light to moderate intensity rain in South-West Delhi and adjoining areas.

Several areas of the city are still under water as the water level of river Yamuna continues to rise following heavy rainfall and the release of water from the Hathnikund Barrage in neighbouring Haryana. 

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