Train operations on the Kalka-Shimla heritage line came to a halt on Saturday (June 22) due to cracks discovered on a railway bridge the previous night. Out of the seven trains on this route, only two are scheduled to arrive and depart from Tara Devi station today, while one train is expected to return from Kandaghat.
“Four out of seven trains have been suspended while two trains are running till Taradevi and one till Kandaghat”, railway officials told PTI. However, all services to Shimla remain suspended.
Tourism stakeholders reported that the suspension of trains has greatly impacted Shimla’s tourism industry, especially during the peak summer season when hill station travel is in high demand.
“The tourists are welcomed in Shimla and there is nothing to worry about as the distance between Shimla and Taradevi railway station is just 11 km. The station is located adjacent to the main road and we would request the transport department to start buses from Taradevi for the convenience of the commuters”, said Shimla Hotel and Tourism Stakeholders Association President M K Seth.
Concerns mount as Railway authorities delay permanent solutions
Seth expressed disappointment that despite a year passing, the railway authorities still haven’t implemented permanent solutions, resulting in the suspension of train services after just two spells of rain. “We wonder what will happen during the upcoming monsoon season”, he added.
“To add to it, the railway authorities are not ready to talk and inform when the train services would be resumed till Shimla”, Seth said.
Virender Thakur, a local councillor from the Shimla Municipal Corporation, stated that they will formally request the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Northern Railway to restore these services.
“The temporary Railway Bridge was built last year and was resumed within three months. I got to know that the railway track had started sliding from the corner of the bridge. Yesterday evening technical officials visited the site and trains have been suspended till further order,” Thakur said.
“We demand that this railway track be restored. 8-9 trains run daily on this heritage trek. These trains are packed with tourists. We shall request the DRM Northern Railway to restore it. We hope this is restored soon. Until they give us a green signal the trains can’t be run,” Thakur added.
Impact on Shimla’s tourism industry
Tourists are facing disappointment as they are forced to rearrange their travel plans. “I had a train at 3:40 PM. All the trains have been suspended due to some problem. I came four days ago and arrived here on a toy train. I am not able to understand what has happened. I have come with my family here, now it’s becoming difficult how we shall return. They are saying some problems have occurred on track,” said Mohmmad Sultan, a tourist from Kanpur.
A local expressed dismay after his ticket was canceled. “We had come to visit Shimla. Our ticket got cancelled and we got to know that some bridges had broken and it was disappointing for us. My son wanted to travel by toy train. They are not sure if the train will start tomorrow or not. Now we shall have to plan another route,” Maani said.
Rains batter Shimla-Kalka Railway every year
Last year, heavy rains in July and August severely disrupted train services, resulting in extensive damage to the track at 20 to 25 locations in July. In August, a landslide swept away a 50-meter bridge, leaving a section of the track hanging near Summer Hill.
However, services resumed in October following repairs to the affected stretches. The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Shimla-Kalka Railway, spanning 96 km through challenging hilly terrain with 103 tunnels, now has 102 tunnels after one collapsed four decades ago.