The Southern Railways announced that train traffic in the Kavaraipettai section was restored “in record time” on Saturday, following the derailment of the Mysuru-Darbhanga Bagmati Express on October 11. The train had collided with a stationary goods train in Tamil Nadu’s Kavaraipettai, disrupting services. Despite the serious nature of the accident, no casualties were reported.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Southern Railways shared an update on the restoration progress. “At 21:05 hrs, Train No. 12434 Nizamuddin – Dr MGR Chennai Rajdhani Express passed through Kavaraipettai Railway Station UP Mainline. Hence train traffic was restored in the section in record time after the accident,” the post read. While services resumed on the UP Mainline, restoration work on the downline is still ongoing.
Earlier in the day, an investigation team, including the Commissioner of Railway Safety, Southern Circle, Anant Madhukar Chowdhary, arrived at the accident site to inspect and assess the situation. Southern Railway General Manager RN Singh expressed relief that no lives were lost, saying, “Despite the serious incident, we are fortunate not to have any casualties. A few suffered minor fractures and are receiving treatment. All will be discharged from the hospital by evening. Restoration will be completed by tonight.”
The Southern Railway promptly responded to the incident, ensuring the rescue of all passengers. Senior Public Relations Officer D Om Prakash confirmed that the injured were being treated, with three seriously injured passengers admitted to Stanley Medical College Hospital and four with minor injuries treated at the Government Hospital in Ponneri. The injured were also provided with ex-gratia payments.
To assist stranded passengers of the derailed Train No. 12578 Mysuru-Darbhanga Bagmati Express, Southern Railways arranged buses to transport them to nearby stations. Two EMU Specials carried passengers to Ponneri and Chennai Central early the following morning.
A high-level inquiry has been ordered into the cause of the accident. Meanwhile, several trains were rescheduled and diverted due to the incident.
(With agency inputs)