Shimla, July 5: A sudden landslide in the Kathlighat-Kano section temporarily halted rail traffic on the UNESCO World Heritage Kalka-Shimla narrow-gauge railway line. The structural disruption forced authorities to intercept the Shimla-Kalka Shivalik Deluxe Express as it traversed the vulnerable mountainous stretch. Carrying 107 passengers, the train was safely reversed and guided back to the Kathlighat station as a precautionary measure to guarantee passenger safety.
The regional railway network quickly organized alternative transport arrangements to minimize travel delays for the affected commuters. Three specialized buses were deployed by the Northern Railway administration to transport 97 of the stranded travelers directly from Kathlighat to Kalka for their onward connections. Additionally, connecting long-distance rail schedules were adjusted to ensure that passengers arriving via the road detachment could make their connecting journeys.
“The departure of Kalka-Howrah Mail had to be delayed by one hour to accommodate stranded passengers,” Yashanjeet Singh, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of Northern Railway’s Ambala Division, stated. He declared that the connecting locomotive adjusted its departure timeline to ensure full passenger transfers. “The train departed at around 12:30 am on July 5.”
Technical teams and track engineers were dispatched immediately to the Kathlighat-Kano perimeter to initiate debris clearance operations. Railway officials maintained that constant monitoring of the affected hillside sections will continue through the weekend. Regular train operations on the heritage route are expected to normalize fully once the structural restoration work secures final clearance from regional safety inspectors.
