CHENNAI: Train services on the Chennai Beach-Royapuram section were disrupted for two hours on Tuesday after an EMU train heading to Tiruvallur from Chennai Beach derailed at the Chennai Beach station.
The derailment caused the wheels to run over concrete sleepers, damaging about 150m of the track. Around 150 passengers who were on board returned to the platform by jumping off the train.
The incident occurred around 11.05 am, when the train was on platform 7 and heading towards Royapuram. While switching tracks to enter the mainline, two pairs of wheels from the fourth coach (counted from the rear) derailed a few metres after the last coach had exited the platform. Railway officials said the train was running at 15 kmph.
Following this, the railway officials rushed to the spot and engaged in restoration works. The derailed coach was detached, and the train was reconfigured by joining the front and rear sections, allowing it to continue its journey to Tiruvallur. The derailed wheels were re-railed by about 1.30 pm.
Railway officials said that no trains were cancelled and no injuries were reported.