With the debris coming on rail track, trains lahori express and Shatabadi were halted at Haridwar railway station on Sunday morning later to be resumed after clearing of track. Dehradun-Haridwar railway track was disrupted after debris came on the railway track at Mansa devi area on Sunday morning and resumed after four hours of consistent efforts. Water entered in 20 villages as three Ganga river embankments got damaged badly in Roorkee and laldhang area. Roads in the entire dsitrict were submerged under water.
Talking to The Pioneer, Station Superintendent MK Singh said, “Around 10 am in the morning debris and rummage came down on railway track near Mansa devi. The lahori (Amritsar-Dehradun Express) and Shatabdi express trains were halted at Haridwar railway station. We cleared railway track and resumed railway traffic at 2 pm.” Also Bandra- Dehradun was halted near Raiwala for some time till the track was cleared.
District disaster management officer Meera Kaintura told The Pioneer , “An embankment over seasonal river Ratmau in village Hastmauli was damaged. Due to this water entered in the nearby villages. Also embankment on Rasoolpur Beri village in laldhang area was also broken at two places. Nearly 20 villages so far are disturbed with flood like situation. Villages under threat are Jogawala, Sahejpur, Badhedi Rajputan, Padrtha Gurjar basti, Sikandrpur, Jamalpur kalan, Rasoolpur. We are shifting people to safe places and villagers from Hastmauli and Gurjar basti have already been evacuated.”
Bridges washed away
Built with an estimated expense of 52 lakhs during Ardh Kumbh mela the major portion of the flyover was swept away and got submerged in the land slide from the nearby hill on Hill by pass road. It has raised many a brows on the quality of material used in building the flyover. If the rains persist, the whole flyover may be rendered useless. When asked to comment JE Rakesh Naithani said, “Due to heavy rains the part of the flyover was submerged. The strong wave of water swept it away.” The vehicle movement has been stopped on the route. Another temporary bridge built during the mela few months ago connecting Kankhal area to the Bairagi camp has been washed away by the river.
Ganga is flowing with 1lakh 70 cusecs of water in full spate. The agriculturists have incurred losses to the tune of lakhs of rupees with paddy and corn fields water logged.