Train gets stuck as heat bends rail tracks in Moulvibazar
Due to severe heat in the last few days, workers have been pouring water on the tracks near the Tilagaon and Manu railway stations of Moulvibazar on the Akhaura-Sylhet railway.
A Sylhet-bound inter-city Paharika Express train was stuck midway for about 20 due to track buckling at the Shamsernagar area of Kamalganj upazila in Moulvibazar this afternoon.
Extreme heat caused the railway tracks to bend. As rails are made from steel, they expand as they get hotter, and can start to curve – this is known as 'buckling'.
"During the day, the railway track is more likely to get bent. Therefore, the concerned department of the railway is trying to keep the tracks cool by pouring water. Due to this, trains are being forced to stop midway," said Uttam Dev, assistant master of Shamshernagar railway station.
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"Once the tracks are cool enough, trains can move but at a very slow speed. At night, however, trains can run normally again."
According to Bangladesh Railway sources, due to severe heat in the last few days, workers have been pouring water on the tracks near the Tilagaon and Manu railway stations of Moulvibazar on the Akhaura-Sylhet railway.
Trains are running at a reduced speed of 10 to 15 km during the day in those areas to keep the tracks from getting overheated and resulting in misalignments. Rail movements in the area in the daytime are getting disrupted, said officials.
As a result, the normal train movement on the Sylhet route is being disrupted during the day.
Extreme heat in the district has also disrupted classes at schools.
