A landslide between Maligura and Chhatariput stations has thrown a vital stretch of East Coast Railway’s Rayagada Division off schedule, prompting authorities to cancel several trains and truncate others as a safety measure while restoration work continues.
The blocked section sits on a busy corridor linking Odisha with Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh. Railway officials say services have been regulated not only to protect passengers but also to give engineering teams space to clear debris and certify the track. Heavy rain in the division has already triggered landslips and soil movement at more than one location in recent days, making caution the operating principle.
For travellers heading to Jagdalpur, Kirandul, Visakhapatnam or Rourkela, the message is simple: do not assume the printed timetable still holds.
What stands cancelled
Train No. 18107 Rourkela–Jagdalpur Express will not run on September 27 and 28.
On September 28 and 29, the following services remain cancelled:
- Train No. 58502 Kirandul–Visakhapatnam Passenger
- Train No. 58501 Visakhapatnam–Kirandul Passenger
- Train No. 18516 Kirandul–Visakhapatnam Express
- Train No. 18515 Visakhapatnam–Kirandul Express
- Train No. 18108 Jagdalpur–Rourkela Express
That combination hits both long-distance express traffic and the everyday passenger link between Kirandul and Visakhapatnam.
Where trains will start and stop early
Koraput has become the temporary rail head for several through services.
- Train No. 18005 Howrah–Jagdalpur Express, which left Howrah on September 26 and 27, will be short-terminated at Koraput. The Koraput–Jagdalpur portion is cancelled.
- Train No. 18006 Jagdalpur–Howrah Express, due to start from Jagdalpur on September 28 and 29, will instead originate from Koraput. Jagdalpur–Koraput remains cancelled.
- Train No. 18448 Jagdalpur–Bhubaneswar Hirakhand Express, scheduled from Jagdalpur on September 28 and 29, will also short-originate from Koraput, skipping the same blocked stretch.
In practical terms, passengers booked through to Jagdalpur on these trains should plan only as far as Koraput unless railways announce an alternative later.
What passengers should do now
East Coast Railway has asked travellers to check live status before leaving home. The safest sources remain NTES, the official enquiry numbers, and station announcement boards. Anyone already holding tickets on the cancelled or truncated services should keep documents handy for refund or rebooking queries at the reservation counter.
Restoration work is underway, but officials have not given a firm reopening time. Until the section is inspected and declared safe, expect further revisions rather than a sudden return to normal.
For now, Koraput is the last reliable rail point on this side of the slide. Plan the rest of the journey only after confirming the latest official update.
