Kalka-Shimla railway track damaged after heavy rain; 10 trains canceled
Shashi Bhushan Purohit
Solan (Himachal Pradesh), August 31, 2026: Continuous heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh has damaged the World Heritage Kalka-Shimla railway line, bringing train services on the route to a halt.
A culvert between Gumman and Taksal railway stations was washed away following a strong water current, leaving a portion of the railway track suspended in the air. The damaged structure is part of Bridge No. 57.
Following the damage, the Railways cancelled 10 trains on the Kalka-Shimla route on Sunday, including five trains each in the up and down directions.
A railway team has reached the spot and started work to restore the track. The initial assessment is that repairs could take two to three days.
According to reports, heavy rainfall in Parwanoo and surrounding areas on Saturday led to a sudden rise in water flow through drains and culverts. The strong current later washed away the culvert late at night.
Rail traffic had already been affected on Saturday due to a landslide and waterlogging between Koti and Taksal. Four down-bound trains were cancelled late Saturday night after railway officials found the track unsafe during an inspection.
Trains Cancelled
Kalka to Shimla:
- Kalka-Shimla Express — 52451
- Kalka-Shimla Himdarshan — 52459
- Himalayan Queen — 52455
- Kalka-Shimla Express — 52453
- Kalka-Shimla Express — 52459
Shimla to Kalka:
- Shimla-Kalka Express — 52452
- Shimla-Kalka Himdarshan — 52460
- Himalayan Queen — 52456
- Shimla-Kalka Express — 52454
- Shimla-Kalka Express — 52458
Yashanjeet Singh, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Railway Board, Ambala, said the track between Gumman and Taksal railway stations had been damaged. He confirmed that five up and five down trains had been cancelled and said passengers had been informed.
The railway administration is working to restore the damaged track at the earliest.