RailEnquiry

NAGPUR: Detection of two rail fractures at two opposite ends of the Nagpur division of Central Railway averted possible train mishaps on Monday morning.According to sources, the first rail breakage was noticed around 6.30am at Barbadpur towards the Itarsi end while the second rail fracture was detected around 9am between Babupeth and Ballarshah stations.Railway sources said that due to some unusual sound, the New Delhi-Secunderabad AP Express was stopped at Magardoh station, around 230km from here. However, as no fault was noticed, the train was passed at 10 kmph towards Nagpur.However, the fracture was noticed by a keyman after the AP Express left Barbadpur. As a precaution, the Jammutavi-Chennai Andaman Express was detained and the rail damage was repaired."It was a miraculous escape for AP Express passengers. If the train had been moving fast, there could have been a possible derailment at Barbadpur," said railway sources.However, senior divisional engineer (coordination) Sanjay Khare said both were minor fractures and were detected on time."During winter and summer, tracks face contraction and expansion. This causes such fractures. We keep a track of such defects with hi-tech machines," Khare told TOI. However, officials also admitted that though the number of trains has increased almost 100 per cent over the last decade, the line capacity has remained stagnant.Similarly, the second rail fracture was detected around 9am near Babupeth. Central Railway PRO P D Patil said the Chennai-New Delhi Grand Trunk Express was detained for over 90 minutes. Patil denied delay of other trains that followed the GT Express. On Sunday, 636 pandrol clips were removed from the main line tracks near Pulgaon by unidentified miscreants. The early detection averted a possible mishap.