Godavari Express derails; close shave for passengers

Hyderabad: Six coaches of the (no 12727) Visakhapatnam-Hyderabad Godavari Express derailed on Wednesday morning between Bibinagar and Ghatkesar stations. No casualties were reported.

According to SCR officials, four sleeper class coaches of the train from S4 to S1, one general coach and one luggage-cum-brake van got derailed. The remaining portion of the train, consisting of 16 coaches, was unaffected. Soon after the incident, the alert railway staff on board immediately informed the authorities about the situation. Of the two lines in the Bibinagar - Ghatkesar section, to begin with, single line working has been implemented so as to clear the trains regulated due to blocking of a line following the derailment. Arun Kumar Jain, the SCR General Manger, and A K Gupta, DRM, Secunderabad, along with senior officials, rushed to the spot and personally monitored the relief and restoration work.

After receipt of information, the Accident Relief Train (ART) and Medical Relief Van (MRV) rushed to the spot, along with team of railway officials, including medical staff, to undertake relief and restoration works.

Passengers in derailed coaches were shifted to the unaffected coaches. The train, comprising unaffected coaches, along with the passengers, left the spot at 7.40 am. It arrived at Secunderabad Station at around 8.40 am. Additional medical teams were also deployed at Secunderabad with medical kits to attend to any passenger

Nine trains cancelledSaid a senior SCR official,"in view of the derailment and disruption to the track, around nine trains have been cancelled in that stretch, 19 trains partially cancelled, seven trains rescheduled and six trains were diverted on Wednesday.

"Special refund counters have been setup at all major stations wherein trains were cancelled / partially cancelled for the benefit of passengers. At the same time, work is proceeding at full swing to restore the affected track at the earliest to normalise train movements." On averted major mishap, he added, the use of German-based and developed Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) technology coaches averted a major mishap. The LHB technology being used by the railway had saved coaches carrying hundreds of passengers from colliding or losing balance after the derailment. The coaches designed for an operating speed up to 160 kmph could go up to 200 kmph but have been tested up to 180 kmph. Their length and width have a higher passenger capacity, compared to conventional rakes. Meanwhile, according to a few passengers, after the derailment, panic spread. A few passengers after getting down form the train opted other modes of public transport to reach Secunderabad.