By Arun Pratap Singh
Haridwar, 8 Sep: Train services in Haridwar came to a standstill this morning after a massive landslide occurred near the Dat Kali Temple at Bhimgoda. The landslide near the temple has brought down debris and huge boulders onto the railway tracks. The landslide broke through iron nets placed along the hill slopes, and completely blocked the Haridwar-Dehradun and Haridwar-Rishikesh railway lines and forcing the suspension of train operations.
On the receipt of information, the Railway and district administration officials immediately rushed to the site, and the teams from the RPF and GRP also joined the relief efforts. JCB machines and labourers were deployed to clear the tracks, but the heavy boulders and quantity of debris made the task extremely challenging. Passengers were left waiting at the station as officials gave assurances that services would resume once the tracks were cleared and safety checks were conducted.
This is the second such incident within a matter of days, as a similar landslide had struck the same site earlier and had then taken several hours to restore railway movement. The recurrence has caused concern for both officials and passengers, given the importance of the Haridwar-Dehradun-Rishikesh link, particularly during the peak travel season.
It may be recalled that excessive monsoon rainfall has triggered frequent landslides across Uttarakhand this year, causing widespread disruption. The Gangotri and Yamunotri National Highways remain blocked in several stretches, while the Rudraprayag-Kedarnath and Rishikesh-Badrinath National Highways are also prone to intermittent closure due to unstable slopes. Similar conditions exist in Kumaon, with roads and connectivity regularly affected.
The impact of the excessive rainfall and the resultant landslides has been also felt on the Char Dham Yatra, which had to be halted between 1 and 5 September because of incessant rain, flooding, and landslides.
