Cyclone Titli: Railways to run Super Fast Tatkal Special train from Bhubaneswar to Bangalore Cantonment

Thiruvananthapuram: In the wake of Cyclonic storm Titli, several trains have been cancelled and diverted. Following this, the East Coast Railways has introduced a Super Fast Tatkal Special Train which will run from Odisha's Bhubaneswar to Bangalore Cantonment in Karnataka.

The introduction of the special train has been done to facilitate the stranded passengers going southwards. The train will run on October 15 while the time of departure is 7:50 am.

"Due to # TitliCyclone, many trains have been cancelled and diverted. To facilitate the stranded passengers going southwards, a Super Fast Tatkal Special Train will be run from Bhubaneswar, Odisha to Bangalore Cantonment, Karnataka on 15 Oct at 0750 hrs," the East Coast Railways said in a statement.

Cyclone Titli has weakened into a deep depression and entered West Bengal, triggering incessant rainfall even as it claimed four lives - three in Odisha and one in Bengal.

The cyclone and the accompanying heavy rain have wrought damage in Bengal's Jhargram and Paschim Medinipur districts adjoining Odisha.

The MeT department warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall in Gangetic West Bengal till Saturday, ahead of Durga Puja festivities. It said the cyclone has weakened into a deep depression and is moving northeast.

Two helicopters were requisitioned from the Indian Navy mainly for rescue and air dropping of relief materials in Ganjam district as its villages are cut off due to the submergence of roads with rain and flood waters

Train services were affected by the cyclone and floods and at least 16 trains were cancelled and several others rescheduled by East Coast Railway (ECoR) on Friday due to submergence of railway tracks, an ECoR official said.

Director of Bhubaneswar meteorological centre, H R Biswas said heavy to very heavy rainfall will continue to pound parts of the state, including Balasore, Bhadrak and Dhenkanal districts, till Saturday.

(With inputs from agencies)