Srivaikuntam Train: Passengers Will Be Rescued By Evening

It is reported that passengers stranded at the Srivaikuntam railway station in the Thoothukudi district will be rescued safely by evening today.

The southern districts of Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Tenkasi and Kanyakumari have been receiving heavy rains in the past few days. In this case, yesterday at 8.25 pm, Tiruchendur Express departed from Tiruchendur to Chennai-Egmore with 800 passengers.

Due to flooding, the train was stopped mid-way at Srivaikuntam at 9.19 pm that night. Three hundred passengers were rescued in the first phase yesterday and have been safely accommodated by four buses and two vans in the nearby government school. 

The remaining 500 passengers could not be rescued due to a breakdown in the road on this route. There was no way to give food by road to the 500 passengers stuck on the train, so food items were delivered by helicopter.

As difficulties continue to evacuate passengers due to disruption of road transport, the state and central governments and the railway administration have stepped up operations to rescue stranded passengers. 

It is reported that all of them will be rescued today. In the notification issued by the Railways in this regard, "All the passengers trapped at Srivaikundam railway station will be rescued today. 13 buses have been arranged to take the passengers safely. The buses are ready at Srivaikuntam bus station. After all 500 people have been evacuated safely, they will be taken by bus from Vanchimaniyachi railway station 38 km away. They will be sent to Chennai by a special train. Special trains will be run from Vanchimaniyachi railway station to places including Chennai this evening."

In this situation, a passenger from the train communicated with a private news channel that there was no proper food and water supply for them. There is no response from the station master.