Train services in Goa were disrupted on Wednesday evening because water was leaking into a tunnel near Pernem station, affecting operations on the Konkan Railway route. Santosh Kumar Jha, Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of the Konkan Railway Corporation, mentioned that a significant amount of water and mud entered the tunnel from the ground. Efforts are underway to remove the slush, and he assured that the situation is now manageable.
Konkan Railways stated that due to heavy rains in Goa, muddy water entered the Pernem tunnel, prompting the suspension of traffic to ensure passenger safety. Train services were first disrupted at 2:35 pm on Tuesday when water started seeping into the Pernem tunnel along the Madure-Pernem section. Although the initial waterlogging was cleared and traffic resumed by 10:13 pm on Tuesday, the issue recurred with increased intensity at 2:59 am on Wednesday.
A press release on Wednesday stated that at 2:35 pm on 09/07/2024, water began seeping into the Pernem tunnel between Madure and Pernem sections at km 386/6-7 of Karwar region on the Konkan Railway. The issue was addressed and train traffic resumed at 10:13 pm the same day. However, the problem reappeared with greater intensity at 2:59 am on 10/07/2024. As a result, several trains have been cancelled or diverted.
The Konkan Railway informed via a post on X that continuous efforts are being made to ensure early restoration. "Santosh Kumar Jha, CMD/KRCL, is on-site, closely monitoring the restoration works at the Pernem tunnel, along with KR officials," the post said.
"The restoration is expected by 20:00 hrs. The KR team is working tirelessly to ensure early restoration of the services," the Konkan Railway said. Goa has been receiving heavy rains for the last three days. Although it witnessed moderate showers since Wednesday morning, the Met Department has issued a red alert predicting exceptionally heavy rainfall for the day.