Title - Mandovi Exp derails near Khed, disrupts services for 12 hrs

The engine and two coaches of the Goa-bound Mandovi Express derailed between Diwankhawati and Khed in Ratnagiri district on Sunday, resulting in services being disrupted for over 12 hours. The WDP-4 diesel-electric locomotive and first two coaches derailed as the train approached Khed station. None of the passengers were injured in the incident.

Operated by Konkan Railway, Mandovi Express runs between CST and Madgaon. It departed on time from CST at 7.10 am, and was to reach Madgaon at 7.26 pm. Konkan Railway officials said the section will remain affected till restoration work is complete.

The Khed police had to bear the brunt of the agitated passengers, who alighted and started walking along the tracks. "The passengers demanded a relief train immediately. As it is a single track route, operating trains through a parallel track was out of the question," API M Rane said.

Officials brought in another engine and pulled the coaches that had not derailed back by two stations to Veer station. Passengers headed for Khed, Chiplun, Sangameshwar and Ratnagiri then alighted and opted for road transport as the Mumbai-Goa Highway runs parallel to the derailment spot.

Byculla resident Francis Rodrigues, who was travelling by the train, said, "The train was on time and running smoothly until there was sudden breaking and the train shook before coming to a stop within 15 seconds. One of the tracks had bent two metres." He claimed, "The loco pilot was briefing officials that he had braked after spotting a rail fracture."

Konkan Railway officials, however, did not confirm a rail fracture, saying that cause would be revealed in an enquiry.

"The train was approaching a home signal and hence was moving slowly," Chief Public Relations Officer Vaishali Patange said. "A head-of-department level enquiry has been initiated to probe the derailment. Until then no reason can be assigned," Patange added.

Trains that were running late due to the derailment were the Trivandrum-Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Netravati Express and the Hazrat Nizamuddin-Ernakulam Mangala Express among others.