Koraput: Heavy rain-triggered landslides disrupted rail traffic on the Koraput-Rayagada route for the second day in a row after rocks, mud and debris slid onto the tracks near Tunnel No. 29 between Sikirapai and Keutguda stations on Thursday night, halting train movement and stranding passengers on Friday.The Visakhapatnam-Koraput Intercity Express was detained at Sikirapai, while the Hirakhand Express remained stranded at Keutguda after the track was blocked. Railway security personnel and engineering teams rushed to the spot and launched restoration work.The disruption came a day after rail traffic on the route was briefly suspended due to soil slippages between Lilliguma and Rauli near Tunnel No. 3 and waterlogging between Laxmipur Road and Kakirigumma.The Koraput-Rayagada railway corridor, which passes through the rugged Eastern Ghats, is highly vulnerable to landslides and soil erosion during the monsoon. The route runs through several tunnels, bridges and deep cuttings, where saturated soil and loose rocks frequently pose challenges to railway operations.Railway authorities said vulnerable stretches are being closely monitored following the spell of heavy rain. Clearance and restoration work was underway to resume train services safely, a senior railway official in Rayagada said.The latest incident adds to a series of monsoon-related disruptions on the corridor, where landslides and soil slips have repeatedly affected train services in recent years.
