Jharkhand News : Train services on the Ranchi–Lohardaga–Tori rail route in Jharkhand will remain suspended till the end of March due to serious structural issues detected in a railway bridge, officials of Indian Railways confirmed on Tuesday.
Senior railway officials inspected the damaged pillar of Bridge No. 115, located near Bhasko village at the confluence of the South Koel and Sankh rivers close to Lohardaga railway station. Following the inspection, South Eastern Railway General Manager Anil Kumar Mishra said that while repair work was underway on one pillar, problems were also found in other pillars of the bridge.
“Repairs to the damaged pillar are expected to take time till the end of March. In such a situation, train operations on this route cannot resume before that,” the GM said.
Foundation Damage Due to Soil Erosion
Railway authorities explained that sand accumulation altered the river flow, leading to soil erosion around the bridge’s foundation. This caused significant damage to the pillar base. Strengthening work of other pillars’ foundations may continue till May, but officials assured that the bridge would be made fully safe before the onset of the monsoon.
The pillar, identified as B-5, was already under observation due to tilting. However, excessive tilting was noticed two days ago, prompting the immediate suspension of train services on safety grounds. Repair work is currently being carried out on a war footing, and alternative arrangements are also being developed.
During the inspection, several senior officials were present, including the Deputy Security Commissioner of South Eastern Railway Pawan Kumar and Ranchi DRM Karuna Nidhi Singh.
Changes in MEMU and Long-Distance Train Operations
The General Manager said that earlier three pairs of MEMU trains and one additional MEMU service used to operate between Tori and Lohardaga on the Ranchi–Tori section. Long-distance trains such as the Rajdhani Express, Chopan Express and Sasaram Express also passed through this route.
However, all these services will remain suspended on this stretch till the end of March due to ongoing repair work. The Lohardaga–Ranchi–Tori MEMU will now operate only between Ranchi and Nagarjua.
For the 7-kilometre stretch between Lohardaga and Nagarjua, where the damaged bridge is located, the Railways will provide bus services to facilitate passenger movement. Separate train services will operate between Tori and Lohardaga, allowing passengers travelling long distances to connect via Tori as per the original schedule.
Railway officials said these temporary arrangements aim to minimize inconvenience to passengers until normal operations resume.
