Train services to and from the pilgrimage town of Rameswaram faced severe disruption on Friday as powerful winds sweeping across the iconic Pamban Bridge forced Southern Railway to implement extensive operational changes for passenger safety.
Safety Measures Trigger Widespread Cancellations
The decision came after wind speeds over Pamban Bridge reached 58 kilometers per hour, creating potentially hazardous conditions for train movement. Southern Railway officials moved quickly to alter the pattern of operations, prioritizing passenger safety above all else.
A series of cancellations has been announced, with significant changes to originating stations and short terminations affecting multiple routes. These measures will remain in effect until weather conditions improve and wind speeds decrease to safer levels.
Affected Trains and Alternative Arrangements
Train No 16733 Rameswaram–Okha Express, which was scheduled to depart at 10:30 PM on Friday, stands cancelled. The disruption extends to numerous other important services connecting Rameswaram with various parts of the country.
The complete list of affected trains includes: No 22614 Ayodhya Cantt – Rameswaram Express, No 22661 Chennai Egmore – Rameswaram Sethu Superfast Express, No 16103 Tambaram-Rameswaram Express, No 16751 Chennai Egmore – Rameswaram Express, No 16849 Tiruchchirappalli – Rameswaram Express, No 16343 Thiruvananthapuram Central – Rameswaram Amrita Express, No 16779 Tirupati – Rameswaram Express, No 20849 Bhubaneswar – Rameswaram Superfast Express, and local services Nos 56713, 56715 and 56711 Madurai – Rameswaram passenger trains.
Revised Origination Points and Passenger Advisory
Services heading toward Rameswaram from major cities including Ayodhya, Chennai, Tambaram, Tirupati, Trichy, Thiruvananthapuram, Bhubaneswar and Madurai will terminate before reaching their final destination.
Several departures from Rameswaram scheduled for Friday and Saturday will now originate from alternative stations including Mandapam, Ramanathapuram, Manamadurai, Madurai and Uchippuli.
These revised services include Train No 22662 Sethu Superfast Express, No 16104 Tambaram Express, No 16344 Amrita Express, No 16850 Tiruchchirappalli Express, No 16752 Chennai Egmore Express, No 22621 Kanyakumari Superfast Express, No 16780 Tirupati Express and local trains Nos 56716, 56712 and 56714 Madurai passenger services.
Railway authorities have clearly stated that these preventive measures were implemented specifically due to the strong wind conditions over Pamban bridge. They have urgently requested passengers to verify the latest schedule updates through official channels before commencing their journeys to avoid inconvenience.
