NEW DELHI: Torrential monsoon rains wreaked havoc in Odisha’s Keonjhar district on Saturday, severely impacting rail connectivity and leaving hundreds of passengers stranded aboard the high-speed Vande Bharat Express for nearly seven hours.
The train, running from Tatanagar to Berhampur, came to an abrupt halt around 7 PM at Guhalidiihi station, after floodwaters engulfed the railway tracks, making it unsafe to proceed. According to railway officials, nearly three feet of water was flowing over the tracks in the affected area, forcing authorities to suspend the train’s movement.
Passengers, though safe, were confined inside the stationary train for hours, awaiting further instructions. Fortunately, no injuries or medical emergencies were reported during the ordeal.
“The safety of passengers was our highest priority, and at no point was anyone in danger,” railway authorities stated. However, the incident has sparked criticism over the preparedness of the railway network in dealing with extreme weather-related disruptions.
With the tracks still inundated late into the night, the Railway Department deployed a rescue engine to tow the Vande Bharat Express to Kendujhargarh station, from where it resumed its journey. The train eventually moved after a delay of over seven hours.
The incident comes as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for several regions in the state, including Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar, warning of extremely heavy rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds reaching speeds of 30-40 kmph.
The downpour is attributed to a low-pressure system formed over Gangetic West Bengal and adjoining north Odisha. The IMD has also placed 17 other districts under yellow alert, predicting moderate to heavy rains with thunderstorms and strong winds in the next 24 hours.
Residents and travellers have been advised to remain indoors and avoid low-lying areas vulnerable to waterlogging and flash floods. Meanwhile, the administration is being urged to bolster its emergency response systems, particularly for transport and communication networks which continue to bear the brunt of monsoon-related disruptions.
In a separate incident affecting rail operations in the Northeast, services connecting South Assam, Tripura, Manipur, and Mizoram to the rest of the country were finally restored on July 4, following days of disruption caused by a landslide in Assam’s Dima Hasao district.
The Lumding-Badarpur Hill Section, a critical rail link, was blocked by boulders and debris between Dihakho and Mupa stations. The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) launched an overnight restoration operation and cleared the track for movement. The Agartala–Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Express was the first train to traverse the section after clearance.
With the monsoon intensifying across eastern and northeastern India, the events in Odisha and Assam highlight the increasing vulnerability of critical transport infrastructure to climate-induced disruptions.
Passengers and experts alike are calling for upgraded drainage systems, real-time weather monitoring, and disaster preparedness protocols, especially for high-speed rail services like the Vande Bharat Express.
As rains continue to batter various parts of the country, authorities remain on high alert to avoid further emergencies and ensure smooth transit for lakhs of commuters during the peak monsoon season.
