Uttarakhand Rain Fury: Rockfall Damages Canopy on Haridwar-Dehradun Railway Track, Train Services Temporarily Halted
Train operations on the Haridwar-Dehradun section were suspended on Tuesday evening after a massive rockfall struck a canopy near tunnel T2, disrupting services on the route.
According to a railway ministry official speaking to News18, the incident took place at around 6:45 pm on the electrified single-line section between Haridwar and Motichur, which falls under the Moradabad Division. Motichur is located about 50 km from Dehradun.
The tunnel watchman immediately informed the Haridwar Station Master over the phone. Following this, engineering staff, including the Assistant Divisional Engineer (ADEN) and Permanent Way Inspector (PWI), were rushed to the spot. The technical team reached the site around 7:30 pm and began assessing the extent of the damage.
The rockfall impacted the canopy structure, causing damage to one of its vertical support columns. As a safety measure, train operations on this route were suspended. Senior railway officials also visited the location to monitor the situation.
Northern Railways’ Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Himanshu Shekhar issued a statement confirming that the damage was minor and that there were no casualties.
“A boulder fell on the tracks in the Haridwar-Motichur stretch of the Haridwar-Dehradun route. Thanks to the protective canopy installed earlier, the damage was limited. No injuries or fatalities were reported. Restoration efforts are underway, and senior officers are present at the site. Train services will resume shortly,” he assured.
Meanwhile, Uttarakhand continues to grapple with heavy rainfall, triggering widespread destruction across various districts.
A cloudburst over the Kheer Gad area in Uttarkashi caused a devastating mudslide in Dharali village, sweeping away high-altitude settlements. Four people lost their lives in the disaster, and over 130 individuals, initially reported missing or trapped, have now been rescued. Around 20 hotels and several residential buildings were also washed away. The Indian Army confirmed that nine soldiers are feared missing from a camp in the lower Harsil region.
In Rudraprayag district, a landslide buried two shops under rubble. In Haldwani, a man was swept away by the Bhakhra stream’s strong currents on Monday. A day earlier, two individuals drowned in a swollen stream near Bhujiyaghat on Haldwani Road.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an alert for more heavy rainfall over Uttarakhand in the next three days. Rescue and relief efforts are ongoing across multiple affected areas.
