Hill Slip Damages Shimla-Kalka Track, 10 Toy Trains Cancelled

Ten trains operating on the Shimla-Kalka narrow-gauge heritage railway line were cancelled on Sunday after incessant rainfall triggered a hill slip that washed away soil supporting a section of track in Himachal Pradesh’s Solan district.

The incident occurred on Saturday night near Bridge No. 57 between Koti and Gumman stations, exposing and undermining the railway structure. Train services on the UNESCO World Heritage route were suspended following the incident and will resume only after the affected section is secured, officials said.

Shimla Railway Station Superintendent Sanjay Gevar said 10 trains between Kalka and Shimla were cancelled on Sunday. According to the Railways, more than 400 passengers and railway workers were safely evacuated following the hill slip.

Northern Railway said officials carried out a prompt rescue operation after the incident, ensuring the safe evacuation of travellers. The disruption left Shimla railway station relatively quiet on Sunday despite the usual weekend tourist rush.

The 96-km Kalka-Shimla railway line, popularly known for its toy trains, is a major tourist attraction and an engineering marvel built across challenging mountainous terrain. The heritage route has 102 tunnels, 800 bridges and 919 bends.

Meanwhile, heavy rains continued to affect several parts of Himachal Pradesh, with 64 roads closed across the state as of Sunday evening. Mandi reported the highest number of closures at 24, followed by Kullu with 16 and Kangra and Sirmaur with seven each.

The Shimla Meteorological Centre has issued an alert for heavy rainfall at isolated places until September 3. Several areas recorded significant rainfall since Saturday evening, with Dhaulakuan receiving 71.5 mm and Nahan 36.8 mm.

Between August 1 and 30, Himachal Pradesh recorded 205.5 mm rainfall, 18% below the normal 251.7 mm. Since the onset of the monsoon on June 30, rain-related incidents have claimed 104 lives, while the state has reported losses of around ₹1,184 crore.