Train services at the Ponneri and Kavarappettai railway stations in Tamil Nadu resumed on Sunday, just days after the Mysuru-Darbhanga Express derailed, colliding with a stationary goods train. The accident, which occurred 43 km from Chennai, resulted in 19 injuries but thankfully no fatalities.
The passenger train had received a green signal to continue on the main line but mistakenly entered a loop line on Friday. AM Chowdhary, the commissioner of railway safety for the Southern Circle in Bengaluru, will conduct a statutory inquiry on October 16 and 17 in Chennai. The public is invited to provide any relevant information during the inquiry, according to M. Senthamil Selvan, chief public relations officer for Southern Railways.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) visited the accident site on Saturday to explore potential sabotage, investigating whether there was any tampering with the outdoor signaling equipment and connecting rods related to train No. 12578.
Southern Railways reported that signaling reconnection was completed by 8:30 a.m. on Sunday. The Shalimar Coromandel Express successfully passed the accident site shortly thereafter, allowing for the restoration of mainline train traffic. Work on the suburban lines continues.
The incident occurred around 8:30 p.m. on October 11 when the train, carrying about 1,600 passengers, was given the green light to proceed. As it approached Kavarappettai station, the crew felt a sudden jerk, and instead of following the signal onto the main line, the train, traveling at 75 km/h, entered the loop line and collided with the empty goods train. One parcel van caught fire, and 13 coaches derailed, scattering debris across the area. A special train was arranged to transport passengers to Chennai’s central railway station, while those injured were taken to local government hospitals. The incident also led to the diversion and rescheduling of at least 40 trains.
