BHUBANESWAR: Train services were affected on the Kottavalasa–Kirandul (KK) railway section under Waltair division of East Coast Railway (ECoR) after 25 wagons of a freight train derailed while passing through a tunnel on Wednesday afternoon.
Railway sources said the iron-ore laden freight train en-route from Koraput to Visakhapatnam went off the tracks near Chimidipalli in Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh, possibly due to some issues with the tracks.
Although no casualties have been reported, the derailment severely disrupted movement of trains on the route, which is predominantly a freight line used for transportation of minerals and industrial goods. Some passenger trains that pass through the route between Visakhapatnam and Kirandul have been diverted via Vizianagaram and Rayagada.
An emergency response team rushed to the site to assess the situation and restore the tracks.
Since the derailment took place inside a tunnel and the section falls under a hilly terrain, sources said, restoration work is expected to take several hours. Intermittent rain in the region under the influence of a low pressure area may further delay removal of wagons and the restoration process.
Confirming the derailment, ECoR in a statement said 25 wagons of a goods train derailed near Chimidipalli at 1.05 pm in the Araku–Kottavalasa section under Waltair division.
“A relief train has been promptly dispatched to undertake restoration operations. Senior railway officials are present at the site to assess the situation and monitor the restoration work. Resources mobilisation are on in full swing to ensure swift restoration,” it said.
Earlier, three wagons of a goods train had derailed near Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district on January 20. Similarly, four wagons of a goods train had derailed near Kantabanji station under Sambalpur railway division under ECoR on June 1, last year.