Title - 23 trains cancelled, 12 diverted

CHENNAI:
Following the derailment of the Muzaffarpur-Yesvantpur Express (via Chennai Central) at Chitheri near Arakkonam, about 80 km from here on Wednesday morning, Southern Railway fully cancelled 23 train services and diverted 12 trains passing through Arakkonam scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.In addition to the eight trains that were fully cancelled on Wednesday, another five services were cancelled later in the evening to facilitate restoration work on the damaged rail lines at Chitheri.The trains cancelled on Thursday are No. 16089/16090 Chennai-Tirupattur-Yelagiri express, No. 12243/44 Chennai-Coimbatore-Chennai Duronto trains, No. 12007/08 Chennai-Mysore weekly express, No. 22682 Chennai-Mysore weekly express and No. 16086/85 Jolarpettai-Arakkonam-Jolarpettai express train (MEMU).Of the five trains diverted along Katpadi-Pakala or Renigunta are the 12509 Bangalore-Guwahati express, No. 13351 Dhanbad-Alappuzha express, No. 16324 Shalimar-Thiruvananthapuram express and No. 12516 Guwahati-Thiruvananthapuram express.

While the Railways restored upline services through diversions and regulations by noon, the damaged tracks are likely to be repaired only by Thursday, an official said.