Traffic on the Konkan Railway route was restored on Wednesday evening after an 18-hour-long disruption caused by waterlogging at Pernem tunnel near Goa.
Clearance for train traffic was given at 8.35 pm, the Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
The movement of trains on the coastal route was first suspended at 2.35 pm on Tuesday when it was noticed that water was oozing in the Pernem tunnel in the Madure-Pernem section amid heavy rains.
The waterlogging was cleared and traffic clearance was given at 10.13 pm on Tuesday night.
But water again started seeping in the tunnel with a greater intensity at 2.59 am on Wednesday, forcing KRCL to suspend traffic, said its Deputy General Manager Baban Ghatge. Some trains were cancelled while others were diverted, he said.
As per a bulletin issued by KRCL at 9 in the morning, train number 10104 Mandovi Express leaving towards Mumbai from Margao, train number 50108 Margao to Sawantwadi (Maharashtra), 22120 Margao to Mumbai Tejas Express, 12052 Margao to Mumbai Janashatabdi Express and 10106 Sawantwadi-Diva Express were cancelled.
The trains that were diverted included train number 19577 Tirunelveli -Jamnagar express, 16336 Nagarcoil-Gandhidham Express, 12283 Ernakulum-Hazrat Nizamuddin express and 16346 Thiruvananthapuram Central Lokmanya Tilak Express.
Hundreds of passengers were left stranded at various railway stations across Goa, including Margao, Canacona, Karmali, Thivim and Pernem.
The sudden cancellation led to chaotic scenes, particularly at Margao station in South Goa.
A group of 200 travellers from Gujarat, including 60 senior citizens, found themselves stranded when the Goa Samparkranti Express was cancelled just two hours before departure.
"There is a group of 200 people with us, of which at least 60 are senior citizens. We were told two hours in advance that the train was cancelled. What should we do now?" questioned Abdul Walekar, a member of the group on tour to Goa.