Haridwar, September 8 (HS): Heavy rainfall on Monday morning triggered a sudden landslide from the Mansa Devi Hills near the Bhimgoda Kali Temple, causing large amounts of debris to fall onto the railway tracks and completely halt train services along the Haridwar–Dehradun route. Several trains were cancelled or terminated midway due to the disruption.

Haridwar railway station superintendent Dinesh Kumar confirmed that soil and boulders had blocked the tracks near the Bhimgoda railway tunnel, forcing authorities to suspend and reschedule services. A number of trains, including the Rishikesh–Kochuveli Express, Howrah–Rishikesh Express, Amritsar–Dehradun Express, and the Rishikesh–Haridwar passenger service, were either cancelled or terminated early at Jwalapur station. The landslide has affected services on both the Haridwar–Dehradun and Rishikesh routes. Railway teams are currently engaged in clearing the debris.

The landslide also partially affected the nearby Kali Temple, damaging a small shrine of Lord Shiva located outside the compound. However, the main cave temple remained unharmed. Officials noted that this site has witnessed similar incidents in the past, disrupting train operations, though protective iron nets installed earlier helped prevent debris from spilling onto the road this time.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar