BENGALURU: Six wagons of a loaded goods train carrying 2408 tonnes of fertilisers from Malavittan railway station in Madurai Division to Haveri station in Mysuru Division suffered derailment at a location nearly 99 km from Bengaluru.
The Loco Pilot (LP), Assistant LP and Train Manager on board the train are safe. The stretch is closed to traffic with four trains cancelled and eight trains diverted. Restoration work is on now.
According to an official release from South Western Railway, the mishap occurred between Marandhalli and Rayakkottai stations in the Bengaluru – Salem Section at 2.12 am today. The cause for the derailment is yet to be ascertained, said a railway official.
The train had a total of 42 wagons and fertilisers were transported in bags.
“The Bengaluru Disaster Management Team including senior officers left with Accident Relief Train to the derailment site at 3 am. Restoration is in progress,” the release said.
Chief Public Relations Officer (in-charge), South Western Railway, Ajay Kumar Singh told TNIE, “The train comprised of BCN wagons (covered wagons). The LP, ALP and Train Manager are safe and the wagons at the tail portion have derailed. The unloading of wagons is on and it will take some time for the stretch to be opened for traffic.”
The release said the following four trains have been cancelled for today: KSR Bengaluru-Jolarpettai-KSR Bengaluru MEMU Special from both ends (Train No. 06551/06552). It was scheduled to leave KSR at 8.45 am and Jolarpettai at 2 pm. The Salem - Yesvantpur Express (Train no. 16212) departing from Salem and Dharmapuri – KSR Bengaluru MEMU Special (Train no. 06278) departing from Dharmapuri.
Diverted trains:
A total of eight trains have been diverted as of now.
The following six trains have been diverted via Salem, Tirupattur, Jolarpettai A Cabin and Krishnarajapuram: Tirunelveli – Dadar Express (Train No. 11022) starting from Tirunelveli; Tuticorin – Mysuru Express (Train No. 16235) commencing from Tuticorin; Kannur-Yesvantpur Express (Train No. 16528) commencing from Kannur; Mayiladuthurai-Mysuru Express (Train No. 16231) commencing from Mayiladuthurai; Nagercoil – Sir M Visvsvaraya Terminal Express (Train No. 17236) commencing from Nagercoil and Coimbatore – Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Express (Train No. 11014) commencing journey from Coimbatore.
The following trains have been diverted via Krishnarajapuram, Jolarpettai A Cabin, Tirupattur and Salem: KSR Bengaluru – Ernakulam Express (Train No. 12677) from KSR and Sir M Visvsvaraya Terminal – Karaikal Express (Train No. 16529) commencing journey from Sir M Visvsvaraya Terminal.
All the diverted trains will be provided with a one-minute additional stoppage at Kuppam, Bangarpet, Malur and Krishnarajapuram.