Rail track goes ‘missing’ at Willingdon Island; RPF to lodge case

Kochi: Nearly half-a-kilometre of railway track went “missing” from the high-security port zone of Willingdon Island in Kochi.Railway protection force (RPF) is assessing the loss and is set to lodge a case after the incident came to light on Wednesday evening.

Cochin Port Trust also ordered an internal inquiry into the incident.The missing stretch spans from Q9 Berth of Cochin Port to the premises of Tata Consumer Products (formerly Tata Tetley) facility. This line, which branches off from the historic Cochin Harbour Terminus (CHTS), once directly crossed the main road to facilitate the movement of heavily laden freight wagons straight to the ships, and to facilitate coal movement to factories from the port.However, following the commissioning of Vallarpadam International Container Transshipment Terminal, cargo operations shifted away from Willingdon Island, leaving the specific loop completely idle. Over the years, the abandoned tracks became heavily blanketed by thick undergrowth and wild vegetation.“The tracks, worth lakhs of rupees, are found detached from the sleepers and taken away. We recovered the materials, which were found in a heap from a nearby premise.

We’re in the process of assessing the missing iron materials. Once the process is over, we’ll register a case,” said a senior RPF official.“While the track existed in the port zone, the infrastructure assets are still the railways. It needs special permission to dismantle or cut away any portion of the rail line,” the officer pointed out.The theft came to light during a routine inspection by railway personnel. The heavy concrete sleepers were found smashed and scattered inside the compound walls, indicating the use of heavy machinery or specialised cutting tools to execute the operation.What makes the incident alarming is the location’s status as an entry-restricted, high-security zone. The area is under constant surveillance and guarded by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) alongside the port’s internal security teams.A team of railway officials inspected the site to assess the exact scale of the property loss.