THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Triggering panic during peak hours, many passengers were injured after an escalator at the Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station malfunctioned on Wednesday morning. The incident occurred around 10 am on Platform 4 and 5, when the escalator, which was moving upward, suddenly went haywire and reversed direction with a loud noise causing panic among the passengers.
The escalator was crowded with passengers following the arrival of the Vanchinad Express.
Several people reportedly lost balance and fell, with two persons suffering injuries. They were initially taken to a railway hospital and later shifted to the General Hospital. Regular commuters also claimed that the escalator had faced issues in the past. Thirty-one-year-old Ambili C P, who was one among the injured in the mishap, suffered a back injury.
“The escalator was moving upward when I got on, but within seconds it reversed direction, going downward at a very high speed. There was a heavy crowd at the time, and before I could react, people started losing balance. It turned into a chaotic situation in a matter of seconds, and I didn’t even realise what exactly was happening. I fell hard and suffered an injury to my back, and also got minor wounds on my leg,” said Ambili.
Regular commuters pointed to the heavy rush during morning hours and the need for proper maintenance of facilities. The incident comes at a time when the station is undergoing a Rs 495 development project. Commuters said the ongoing work has affected normal functioning and added to congestion.
“The station is a congested construction zone right now. With parts of the platform shut off, routine maintenance of facilities like escalators seems to have taken a backseat,” said a regular passenger.
However, the Railway authorities have denied the reports of escalators coming downwards. In a press release, the railways clarified that a few passengers using the escalator on the Foot Over Bridge connecting Platforms 4 and 5 at Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station reportedly lost balance after the escalator came to a sudden halt while operating in the upward direction.
As per the preliminary technical assessment there was overcrowding and the escalator stopped suddenly with jerk after the emergency stop button was pressed. “Due to the abrupt stoppage and heavy passenger movement on the escalator, a few passengers momentarily lost balance and fell. One passenger sustained a fall and two others suffered minor abrasions. No major injury or serious untoward incident has been reported,” the press release said.
