VELLORE: Three wagons of a Chennai harbour-bound empty goods train from Mettur derailed at Kavanur near Gudiyattam, in the wee hours of Monday. Owing to the derailment, 12 trains heading to Chennai were delayed by five to six hours. The derailment occurred around 1.30 am. Chennai Division Railway Manager S Anantharaman arrived at the spot around 2.30 am and over 250 workers were involved in re-railing the derailed wagons. Thousands of passengers on trains bound to Chennai from Bangalore, were stranded. Sources said that all the trains passing through the section were stopped at various points.
Totally 12 trains, including Allapuzha Express, Thiruvananthapuram Express, Cheran Express and Blue Mountain Express, were delayed by over five hours.
Train services towards Jolarpet resumed around 2.30 am but the Salem passenger that was supposed to leave Katpadi at 5.45 am was, however, cancelled. He said train services resumed at 6.30 am on the other track were Chennai-bound trains operated.
Three special teams have been formed to probe into the incident, he said adding that the train was proceeding at a speed of 73 km/h when the wagons derailed. Sources said one of the three wagons has been totally damaged.