CHENNAI: A coach of the double decker express train heading to Bengaluru from Chennai derailed at Bisanattam station, which is located 20 km from Bangarapet at 11.30 am on Monday. Due to this, hundreds of passengers faced hardships as it disrupted services on the Chennai-Bengaluru route.
At around 11:30 am, one pair of wheels on coach C1 (the second coach from the rear end) derailed while the train was moving at a slow speed. There was a loud noise and the passengers panicked, but nobody was injured, said sources.
Upon receiving information, officials from the Bengaluru division arrived at the scene with an Accident Relief Train to carry out restoration work. Passengers from coach C1 were relocated to other coaches and the train left within an hour. The derailed coach was placed back on the track after two hours.
Brindavan Express, which was trailing the double-decker express, was stopped between Jolarpettai and Bangarapet for four hours and 30 minutes. The train arrived at KSR Bengaluru station around 7 pm.
As a result of the accident, the South Western Railway cancelled the MEMU special trains between Kuppam and KSR Bengaluru and made changes to the operation of daily and weekly trains. The KSR Bengaluru - Kuppam MEMU special was partially cancelled between Kuppam and Bangarapet, and it was short-terminated at Kuppam.
The Howrah-SMVT Bengaluru Duronto Express, which started its journey from Howrah on May 14, was diverted via Tirupattur, Omalur, Hosur, Jolarpettai, Kuppam, Bangarapet and Krishnarajapuram.
The daily MEMU specials operating in Jolarpettai-KSR Bengaluru and KSR Bengaluru-Mysuru routes were rescheduled and delayed by two hours.