Hyderabad, September 2, 2024 — The South Central Railway (SCR) has announced the cancellation of 21 trains and the diversion of 10 others due to severe waterlogging over tracks in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The heavy rainfall has caused significant disruptions and damage to railway infrastructure.
The cancellations include several major trains such as:
12669 MGR Chennai Central to Chhapra
12670 Chhapra to MGR Chennai Central
12615 MGR Chennai Central to New Delhi
12616 New Delhi to MGR Chennai Central
Additionally, trains such as 12763 Tirupati to Secunderabad, 22352 SMVT Bengaluru to Patliputra, 22674 Mannargudi to Bhagat Ki Kothi, and 20805 Vishakhapatnam to New Delhi, among others, have been diverted. Due to heavy water flow at Rayanapadu, the Southern Central Railway also diverted SMVB Bengaluru-Danapur and Danapur-SMVB Bengaluru.
Passengers affected by these changes have been relocated to Kazipet Junction by road. Stranded passengers were assisted with two ‘scratch rakes,’ which are temporary trains made up of spare coaches to help alleviate the disruption.
The SCR had previously cancelled over 20 trains and diverted more than 30 due to the extreme weather conditions. To assist affected passengers, the railways have set up helpline numbers:
Hyderabad: 27781500
Warangal: 2782751
Kazipet: 27782660
Khammam: 2782885
In response to the situation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, offering the Centre’s full support to manage the crisis caused by the floods.
Telangana’s Transport and Backward Classes Welfare Minister Poonam Prabhakar visited Kazipet Junction in Hanumakonda to meet with stranded passengers and address their concerns. He was joined by MLAs Naini Rajender Reddy, Kavvampalli Satyanarayana, and Hanumakonda Collector Praveenya. The minister assured passengers that efforts are underway to restore the railway track as soon as the floodwaters recede and to resume train services.
Furthermore, Telangana’s Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka conducted an on-site inspection of flood-affected areas in Errupalem Mandal, Madhira Constituency of Khammam district, to assess the situation and oversee ongoing relief efforts.
