VELLORE/BENGALURU: Hundreds of passengers aboard the Kanyakumari-Bengaluru Island Express had a miraculous escape despite 15 coaches of their train getting derailed near Natrampalli in the district in the early hours of Friday.
The mishap occurred around 4.10 am on the Vetapattu railway bridge between Somanaickanpatti and Pachur railway stations. The Natrampalli fire and rescue service station was the first to respond. The personnel immediately evacuated the people trapped in carriages and rushed the 14 injured people to the Government Natrampalli Hospital, a few hundred metres from the spot, where they were treated as outpatients.
Officials from South Western Railway rushed to the spot and started restoration work. Senior police officers of the Government Railway Police (GRP) and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) inspected the tracks for any trace of mischief or sabotage. After detaching the derailed coaches, the undamaged ones were taken to Jolarpet and Patchur stations.
Recounting the early morning horror, Joseph, a Bengaluru-bound traveller on S9 coach, said, “I was taking out a sweater from my briefcase when I heard a loud bang and experienced a jolt. It’s a miracle that all passengers escaped. Initially, I thought that it would be the end of many travellers, including myself.”
Sreekumar, a native of Kollam in Kerala, who was travelling to Bengaluru along with his elderly parents on S-6 coach, said, “I heard a mild rumble, then of a sudden there was a cloud of dust and my coach began to tilt and slide with a loud noise. People began to panic and scream, and there was rush to get out, resulting in a stampede.”
Some co-passengers and the fire and rescue service personnel helped them out through an emergency exit, he said. Binoy (35), a passenger from Kottayam in Kerala, said that his wife and two children - aged eight and two - sustained minor injuries.
Senior officials, on condition of anonymity, said that the train was travelling at 65 km per hour, as against the permitted 110 kmph on the stretch. Meanwhile, another senior official said that a detailed inquiry would commence on Saturday. “A senior administrative grade officer, nominated by General Manager of the Bangalore Division, will head the team,” the official added.
Most of the passengers continued on the last leg of their journey by boarding buses from the National Highway close to spot, while some hired private vehicles.
Meanwhile, Divisional Railway Manager of Bengaluru Division, Sanjiv Agarwal, said, “Prima facie, the accident appears to due to rail breakage. It is mainly a material problem. The following coaches derailed: S4, S5, S6,S7, S8, S9, S10, S11, S12, HA1, A1, A2, B1, B2 and B3. The coaches S6, S7, S8 and S9 have been irreparably damaged.”
A special train and seven buses were arranged from Jolarpettai to ferry the passengers to Bengaluru.
The injured were treated at the Railway Hospital in Bengaluru and the Narayana Hrudyalaya Health Centre upon their arrival.
Trains cancelled
Four trains, Chennai-Bengaluru Shatabdi Express, Jolarpettai Express, Chennai-Sri Sathyasai Prashanti Nilayam Express and Arakkonam-Bengaluru City Passenger were cancelled on Friday, while the Bengaluru City-Jolarpettai Express, Chennai-Sri Sathyasai Prashanthi Nilayam Express and Arakkonam-Bengaluru City Passenger scheduled for Saturday have been
cancelled. Four trains have been diverted via Hosur and Dharmapuri. According to a railway officials, normalcy in operations is expected to be restored by 8 am on Saturday. “Staff have worked throughout the day and will be working all night to restore the tracks,” said a top official.
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