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Seven wagons of a freight train derailed during a routine shunting operation at the Jolarpettai wagon depot yard in Tamil Nadu, Southern Railway officials said on Monday.
According to railway authorities, the incident occurred at around 7:15 pm on Sunday when eight wagons were being moved during a shunting procedure, causing seven of them to slip off the tracks inside the yard. No injuries were reported in the incident. Railway emergency teams were rushed to the site immediately to carry out re-railing and track restoration work. "The derailed wagons were cleared, and restoration work was completed by 12:20 am on November 2, paving the way for the resumption of normal operations," Southern Railway stated in an official release. Due to the restoration work, passenger services experienced minor disruptions, with Train No. 16520 (KSR BengaluruJolarpettai MEMU service) being short-terminated at Somanayakkanpatti (SKPT) railway station. Hearing the unusual noise of the derailed coaches, the gatekeeper on duty immediately alerted the railway authorities. Following the information, railway personnel sounded an emergency warning and instructed officials to stop trains approaching Jolarpettai from Bengaluru at various locations to prevent a major accident. The railway administration has ordered a departmental inquiry to ascertain the exact cause behind the derailment. Jolarpettai Railway Junction is an important railway hub with 16 railway tracks and is also known for having the second-largest railway yard in Asia. The incident has raised questions about safety procedures, operational responsibilities and monitoring systems at the Jolarpettai railway yard, particularly regarding the securing of coaches stationed for maintenance work. Passengers and members of the public have called for a detailed inquiry into the incident and appropriate action if negligence is established. (ANI)
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