Title - Engine of Seshadri Express derails

VIJAYAWADA: Passengers of the Bangalore-Kakinada Seshadri Express (17209) had a providential escape when the alert driver averted a major accident after the engine derailed in the wee hours of Wednesday. The incident took place at around 2.45 am in the outskirts of Vijayawada station when the train was just five minutes away from entering the station. Most of the passengers, who were in a deep sleep, woke up when the train came to a jerking halt. A few of them jumped out of the train even as the engine derailed near Tarapet loco shed.

Luckily, none of the bogies were derailed, thus ensuring that there was no risk to the passengers travelling in the train. Upon information, all the senior officials including divisional railway manager, SCR, Pradeep Kumar rushed to the spot and took up track restoration works on a war footing. The DRM ordered a thorough probe into the mishap. Sources said that at least two heads from the engineering wing, which is responsible for the track management, could roll in a day or two.

The train was going at a speed of 15 kmph as it was crossing a curve and this helped the other coaches to remain intact on the tracks, observed a railway engineering official. DRM Pradeep Kumar said a decision on initiating action against the errant staff would be taken after the probe report is submitted. He, however, confirmed that it was a case of poor management of track.

Meanwhile, several other trains passing through Vijayawada junction were running late as it took nearly 3-4 hours to complete the track restoration at the site. While Seshadri Express finally left Vijayawada nearly 3 hours behind schedule, nearly 20 superfast and express trains like Hazarath Nizamuddin-Chennai, Kerala express, Hubli-Vijayawada passenger, Secunderabad-Guntur Express, Janmabhumi Express, Millinium Express and Simhadri Express were running late.