KOCHI: Trains towards Thrissur were delayed by around one hour on Sunday after a tree fell onto the tracks near Pachalam in Ernakulam. The incident disrupted train services from and towards Thiruvananthapuram.
According to a railway official, the tree, identified as Anjili, fell from private property onto the track. The owner of the property had previously been given a notice to remove the tree as it was leaning precariously towards the tracks and power lines. However, no action was taken, leading to the tree toppling onto the tracks.
"The high-tension power lines had to be switched off as a precaution to facilitate the removal of the tree," said the railway official. "This led to many trains, including those from and towards Thiruvananthapuram, running late by around an hour."
The Venad Express was significantly affected as it was entering the Ernakulam Town railway station at the time of the incident. "The engine and a few coaches made it inside the station while the rest of the train remained outside. This forced passengers who wanted to disembark at Ernakulam Town to walk the entire length of the train to reach the platform," explained Madhavan Nair, a passenger on the train.
Many passengers highlighted the lack of an in-house announcement system that could have informed them about the delay and its cause.