VELLORE: About 50 express and superfast trains and nearly 60 electric multiple unit (EMU) services between Arakkonam and Chennai were disrupted on Monday, after Chennai- Erode Yercaud Express derailed near Arakkonam in the wee hours of the day.
The incident occurred around 12.05 am, when Yercaud Express (No 22649) was on the first line in Tiruvallur-Arakkonam section between Arakkonam and Puliyamangalam stations. Though the train was moving at a slow speed, the locomotive and three coaches — sleeper-cum-brake van and two unreserved coaches — derailed with a bang. Luckily, no one was injured.
There were 1,230 passengers onboard. Of them, about 300 in two unreserved coaches were shifted to Korba-Trivandrum Express (No 22647) by providing a special stoppage at Arakkonam. Higher Education Minister K P Anbalagan, who was onboard in 1 AC along with his family, took a car to Erode.
Though railway officials rushed to the spot, the non-availability of high-capacity cranes in Arakkonam hindered their work. When the crane operators tried to lift the engine, the rope came off under its weight. Two workers were injured in the incident and were admitted in Arakkonam Railway Hospital.
Nevertheless, the officials managed to remove three coaches from the track. The rest 20 coaches were later pulled back to Thiruvalangadu, located 18 km from Arakkonam. From there, the train proceeded to Erode with a new engine at 4.50 am.
EMU services between Arakkonam and Tiruvallur were cancelled. Even those from Chennai to Arakkonam and Tiruttani were terminated. Bengaluru-bound Brindavan Express, scheduled to reach Katpadi at 9.55 am, arrived at 3.15 pm. Similarly, all trains from Chennai to Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Mangaluru and Thiruvananthapuram were delayed by over three hours.