Rajamahendravaram: Derailment of goods train disrupts traffic

Rajamahendravaram(East Godavari district): Train traffic has been restored on the Chennai-Howrah Golden Quadrilateral trunk route within seven hours after it was affected following derailment of a goods train wagon at the Rajamahendravaram railway yard in the early hours of Wednesday.

A goods train from Visakhapatnam to Vijayawada derailed at ILTD near the Rajamahendravaram railway station at around 3 am. Railway officials said an NMG (new modified goods) goods wagon carrying a load of cars from Walajabad to Kiddorpur docks, Kolkatta, derailed at Rajahmundry on busy down main line. The railway staff removed the goods wagon and took up the work of repairing the track. Nine trains were cancelled as only one track was available. Many trains are running late.

Trains Nos 12717, 12718, 22701, and 22702 running between Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam have been cancelled. Trains No 17239, 17240 running between Guntur-Visakhapatnam, 07628, 07864 running between Guntur-Vijayawada and 17257 running between Kakinada-Vijayawada have been cancelled. Officials said that train 12805 (Vijayawada - Lingampally) will start two hours late. Kakinada Port-Vijayawada (17258) and Vijayawada-Rajahmundry (07768) have been partially cancelled.

Vijayawada railway division has taken special measures for the convenience of passengers in the wake of the derailment of a goods train. The normal situation was brought back within 7 hours with coordinated team efforts.

Special steps have been taken for the convenience of stranded passengers in the Vijayawada division. Special help and inquiry desks have been set up for passengers at Rajahmundry, Samarlakota and Vijayawada stations.

A help desk no 0866-2576924 has been set up at Vijayawada station. Catering arrangements are made at the wayside stations and sections controlling the trains. Special refund counters have been set up in places where trains have been cancelled

Shivendra Mohan, divisional railway manager, Vijayawada division, congratulated the engineering, operations, commercial, Signalling, security and electrical officers who cleared the derailed bogies quickly and restored train services. The authorities have been advised to determine the reasons that led to the accident and to formulate a strategy and action plan to prevent such incidents from happening again.