Damage to the Ganga’s embankment between Sakrigali and Maharajpur stations in Jharkhand has disrupted train services on the Sahibganj-Barharwa section, with the Down line suspended and trains on the Up line running at restricted speed as railway teams work to restore operations.
The damage occurred on Tuesday night in the jurisdiction of Eastern Railway’s Malda Division. Railway authorities said on Wednesday morning that the movement of all passenger and freight trains on the Down line, used by trains heading towards Barharwa, had been suspended as a precautionary measure.
Trains heading towards Sahibganj continue to operate on the Up line, but at restricted speed. A large contingent of railway officials and staff has been deployed at the affected site, where restoration work is under way.
The disruption has resulted in the cancellation, diversion and regulation of several services. The Sahibganj-Rampurhat MEMU and Rampurhat-Sahibganj MEMU were cancelled on Wednesday, according to the report. Other services were diverted away from their usual routes, adding travel time and altering scheduled stoppages.
The Ballia-Sealdah Express, which was scheduled to begin its journey on September 30, and the Kathgodam-Howrah Bagh Express, which began its journey on September 29, were diverted via Munger, Bhagalpur, Banka and Deoghar. These trains bypassed Jasidih and stopped at Bhagalpur and Deoghar instead.
The Bhagalpur-Ranchi Vananchal Express and Jamalpur-Howrah Express, both scheduled to start on Wednesday, operated via Bhagalpur, Dumka and Rampurhat. The Delhi-Kamakhya Brahmaputra Mail and Bathinda-Balurghat Farakka Express, which began their journeys on Tuesday, were diverted via Jamalpur, Munger and Katihar.
Several services were also short-terminated or short-originated. The Jamalpur-Rampurhat Passenger and Kiul-Malda Town Express were short-terminated at Sahibganj, while the Azimganj-Bhagalpur Passenger was short-terminated at Barharwa.
The incident has exposed the operational sensitivity of a railway corridor running alongside a major river embankment. Even where the damage does not immediately affect both tracks, railway authorities must balance the need to maintain connectivity with the safety risks posed by unstable ground and continuing repair activity.
The immediate effects extend beyond the affected stations because the section carries trains connecting eastern, northern and northeastern parts of the country. Diversions through Munger, Bhagalpur, Banka, Deoghar, Dumka and Katihar have altered routes for long-distance passengers, while cancellations and shortened services have affected local and regional travel.
A railway official said restoration work on the affected stretch was under way and that every effort was being made to normalise train operations as soon as possible. No timeline for the full restoration of normal movement was provided in the statement.
