Train operations in southern Kerala were disrupted after a landslide near Parassala station derailed the locomotive of the Bilaspur-Tirunelveli Express early Thursday, prompting six passenger train cancellations.
The incident occurred at 2.19 am when Bilaspur-Tirunelveli Express was stopped near Parassala following the landslide.
Thiruvananthapuram,Oct 22, 2026 09:59 IST
A landslide near Parassala railway station in Kerala’s southernmost district derailed the locomotive of the Bilaspur-Tirunelveli Express early Thursday, disrupting train services and prompting the Southern Railway to cancel six passenger trains and partially cancel the affected express service.
The incident occurred at 2.19 am when Bilaspur-Tirunelveli Express was stopped near Parassala following the landslide. The locomotive was found derailed after the train came to a halt, the Southern Railway said.
“All passengers and railway staff are safe,” the railway zone said in a statement.
A relief locomotive was immediately arranged to move the train, while an accident relief train (ART), along with personnel and equipment, was rushed to the site to carry out restoration work and help resume services.
STORY | Landslide derails locomotive in southern Keralam, disrupts train services A landslide near the Parassala railway station in this southern Keralam district derailed the locomotive of the Bilaspur-Tirunelveli Express early on Thursday, disrupting train services, with the railways cancelling six passenger trains and partially cancelling the affected express train. The incident occurred at 2:19 am when Train No. 22619 Bilaspur-Tirunelveli Express was stopped near Parassala following the landslide. READ: https://t.co/TVf1tq2EkU VIDEO | (Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/bIyFWTfmBd)— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 22, 2026
In its latest update, the Southern Railway said the Bilaspur-Tirunelveli Express, which began its journey from Bilaspur on October 20, would terminate at Neyyattinkara.
The section between Neyyattinkara and Tirunelveli has been partially cancelled, with buses arranged to ferry passengers to their destinations.
Six passenger train services scheduled for Thursday were cancelled due to restoration work near Parassala railway station.
The affected services include the Thiruvananthapuram North-Nagercoil Junction Passenger, Nagercoil Junction-Kollam Junction Passenger, Nagercoil Junction-Thiruvananthapuram North Passenger and Kollam Junction-Nagercoil Junction Passenger.
Meanwhile, the Kanniyakumari-Mangaluru Central Parasuram Express, scheduled to depart Kanniyakumari at 3.45 am, has been rescheduled to leave at 7 am, a delay of three hours and 15 minutes.
The Southern Railway has issued temporary helpline numbers, 9188241681, 9188523905 and 8590137970, for passengers seeking updates on train services.
The incident occurred amid heavy rain in the region. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued an orange alert for Thiruvananthapuram district on Wednesday, warning of very heavy rainfall, and a yellow alert for October 22 to 25, forecasting heavy rain.
- Ends