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Landslides paralyse Trivandrum-Nagercoil rail link

Train services between Trivandrum and Nagercoil will remain suspended for about three weeks following a landslip at Idichakkaplamoodu in Kerala on Sunday night in which three railway gangmen were buried alive.

The workers were clearing an earlier landslip on the line when the mishap occurred.

Southern Railway General Manager N Krithivasan, who visited the area, said the delay in restoring services is because extensive works have to be taken up at Idichakkaplamoodu and Palliyadi where major landslips have forced frequent suspension of services for the past 13 days.

He said the landslides were caused by the recent heavy rains that had disturbed the soil balance and made the clay soil loose and watery.

Saying Rs 20 million will be spent on temporary restoration works, Krithivasan said extensive soil testing will be done at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Centre in Trivandrum. Geological experts will also be requested to study the samples.

He said the number of gangmen working in the area will be reduced and only machines will be used to clear the debris for the next few days.

UNI

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