Soil Beneath Tracks Erodes, Ganga Levels Rise: What Bengal May Face as Rain Continues

 Inspecting the area, engineers believe the soil beneath the railway tracks became soft due to incessant rain over the past few days, resulting in subsidence.

By Sakshi

New Delhi, September 3: Train services on the Howrah-Malda division of the Eastern Railway were disrupted on Thursday after heavy rainfall triggered soil erosion beneath the tracks between Tilpara and New Farakka, a railway official said. The land degradation weakened the area and affected rail connectivity between north and south Bengal. Several trains, including the Darjeeling Mail, Jogbani Express and Gour Express, were delayed, while north Bengal-bound trains were diverted through a bypass line.

According to the official, a portion of the affected tracks developed the issue at around 2 am. The up train line was affected during the night, causing delays to several trains, he said. Down train movement towards New Farakka remains normal. Senior railway officials and maintenance teams rushed to the spot after receiving the information, and repair work was taken up on a war footing, the official said.

The regions upstream of the Farakka Barrage, such as Manikchak, Ratua and English Bazar, are especially concerned about the rising water level.( AI generated image)

What Happened?

After inspecting the area, engineers believe the soil beneath the railway tracks became soft due to incessant rain over the past few days, resulting in subsidence, news agency PTI quoted its sources as saying.

Cause of Erosion Linked to Overflowing Ganga

The Ganga water level was 24.99 metres on Wednesday at around 1 pm, and it is also expected to rise over the next three days as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for heavy rainfall.

A substantial amount of water is entering the Ganga as a result of heavy rains in several areas of Madhya Pradesh, according to officials monitoring the situation, a report by The Statesman said.

The 69 gates of the Indrapuri Barrage, situated across the Sone River in Bihar's Rohtas district, have all been opened, it added. The barrage is currently discharging 554,024 cusecs, the highest recorded during the current flood season. At Patna's Digha Ghat, the Sone meets the Ganga.

According to officials, a further rise in the water level of the Ganga cannot be ruled out. The pressure on the river system is also increasing due to water entering the Ganga through the Gandak and Kosi rivers.

Senior engineers have warned that the situation may become more serious under these circumstances, the media report added.

The regions upstream of the Farakka Barrage, such as Manikchak, Ratua and English Bazar, are especially concerned about the rising water level. In addition to the risk of further erosion, officials are concerned about potential flooding if the water level rises significantly.

Meanwhile, round-the-clock measures are being taken to prevent erosion and reinforce weak sections of the riverbank. To prevent breaches and avert a serious flood-like catastrophe in the affected areas, officials and workers have been working through the night