Cyclone Phailin: Over a 100 train services cancelled

The Indian Railways has cancelled more than 100 train services, including 46 mail and express trains, as a precautionary measure, as it geared itself to face any eventuality arising from the cyclonic storm 'Phailin'.

The Railways also partially cancelled 12 trains and diverted another 25 trains so far.

Railway minister Mallikarjun Kharge is reported to have instructed the railway administration to take all precautionary measures to ensure safety and convenience of passengers.

Railway Board at headquarters-level is constantly monitoring the situation. The severely affected railway zones namely East Coast Railway (HQ- Bhubaneswar) South Central Railway (HQ-Secunderabad) South Eastern Railway (HQ-Kolkata) have activated emergency control rooms at zone level as well as at division level.

The decision to further cancel / divert / partially cancel trains will be taken after regular review of the situation.

Zonal railways are bringing out information bulletins informing about these developments at regular intervals.

The information is being uploaded on websites of respective zonal railways. Helplines are being set up to provide information to the public. Additional refund counters are being set up to expedite fare refund.

Diesel engines are positioned at select places as stand by. Accident relief train with relief material are being kept ready at their base stations. Power cars have also been positioned at concerned locations.

Diesel Generator sets have been positioned at controlling stations for lighting and signalling purposes. Satellite phones have been provided and made functional at Zonal HQ.

South Central Railway has set up helpline numbers at major stations like Vijayawada, Rajahmundry, Kazipet, Warangal, Khammam and Manchiryal for passengers to seek information regarding movement of trains.

Trains affected by the cyclone:

Cancelled:

• Train No.17480 Tirupati-Puri Express scheduled to leave Tirupati at 10.35 hrs today, ie, 12.10.2013.
• Train No 18411 Bhubaneswar-Visakhapatnam Intercity Express.
• Train No 22879 Bhubaneswar-Tirupathy S/F Express.
• Train No 17015 Bhubaneswar-Secunderabad Visakha Express.
• Train No 17239/17240 Guntur-Visakhapatnam-Guntur Simhadri Express.
• Train No 12073 Howrah-Bhubaneswar Janshatabdi Express.
• Train No 12277 Howrah-Puri Shatabdi Express.
• Train No 22811 Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express

Partially Cancelled:

• Train No 11019 CST Mumbai – Bhubaneswar Express which left CST Mumbai o­n 11.10.2013 partially cancelled between Rajahmundry and Bhubaneswar.
• Train No 57225 Vijayawada – Visakapatanam Passenger scheduled to leave Vijayawada at 08.25 hours on Saturday (12.10.2013) partially cancelled between Rajahmundry and Visakapatanam.

Diverted:

• Train No 13352 Alleppey-Dhanbad JN Express which left Alleppey o­n 11.10.2013 diverted via Warangal – Ballarshah – Nagpur-Durg-Raipur-Billaspur- Jarshuguda.
• Train No 12864 Yesvantpur-Howrah Express which left Yesvantpur on 11.10.2013 diverted via Warangal – Ballarshah – Nagpur-Durg-Raipur-Billaspur-Jarshuguda – Kharagpur.
• Train No 12509 Bangalore-Guwahati Express which left Bangalore on 11.10.2013 diverted via Warangal –Ballarshah–Nagpur-Durg-Raipur-Billaspur-Jarshuguda–Kharagpur-Howrah.
• Train No 12842 Chennai-Howrah Coromondal Express which left Chennai at 08.45 hrs on 12.10.2013 diverted via Warangal Ballarshah-Nagpur- Durg-Raipur-Billaspur-Jarshuguda-Kharagpur.
• Train No.18646 Hyderabad – Howrah East Coast Express which left Hyderabad at 10.00hrs on12.10.2013 diverted via Ballarshah–Nagpur-Durg-Raipur-Billaspur-Jarshuguda-Kharagpur.
• Train No.12704 Secuderabad – Howrah Falaknuma Express scheduled to leave Secunderabad at 16.00hrs on 12.10.2013 diverted via Ballarshah – Nagpur- Durg-Raipur-Billaspur-Jarshuguda- Kharagpur.

Diverted via Vizianagaram and Jharsuguda:

• Train No12664 Tiruchirapalli-Howrah.
• Train No12840 Chennai-Howrah Mail.
• Diverted via Chakradharpur and Bilaspur:
• Train No12703 Howrah-Secunderabad Falaknuma Express.
• Train No12245 Howrrah-Yashvantpur Duronto Express.
• Train No 22612 Haldia-Chennai S/F Express
• Train No 18465 Howrah-Hyderabad East Coast Express.

Diverted via Angul-Titagarh-Raipur:

• Train No 12508 Guwahati-Trivandrum Express

Short Terminated trains:

• Train No18464 Bangalore-Bhubaneswar Prasanti Express short-terminated at VSKP
• Train No17016 Secunderabad-Bhubaneswar Visakha Express short terminated at VSKP

Helpline Numbers:

Vijayawada: 0866-2575038

Rajahmundry: 0883-2420541, 2420543

Kazipet: 0870-2548660

Warangal: 0870-2426232

Khammam: 08742-256025

Manchiryal: 08736-250081