Around 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday, the usually-deserted Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) Park Town Station was abuzz with activity. A few minutes earlier, a MRTS train, headed towards Beach Station, had derailed while entering the station.
“Luckily, the train was moving slowly as it was approaching platform number 1 of the station. The fourth compartment from the engine tilted and hit the concrete on the platform,” said P. K. Mishra, divisional railway manager, Southern Railways .
Railway sources said that the incident could have had disastrous consequences had it occurred at any other point on the elevated corridor between Chintadripet and Park Town. “Also, the train was not very crowded as it was not peak hour. Otherwise, passengers might have panicked,” said a Railway Protection Force (RPF) officer.
A break down train was brought to the station to help put the train back on track. “The railway employees started working around 10.30 a.m. and by 1 p.m., the train was back on track,” said a railway official.
Around 4.20 p.m., railway staff from Royapuram inspected the tracks and replaced the defective ones. “Train services resumed at 4.40 p.m. After the accident, services were operated between Velachery and Chepauk to ensure that passengers were not affected,” said railway sources.
Railway officials said investigations were underway to find out the cause of the accident. “It could have been the driver’s mistake or some problem with the track. It can be determined only after a thorough enquiry,” an official added.
S. Gopi, an autorickshaw driver who was passing by Stanley viaduct, said he saw people rushing out of the station and thought there was some major accident. “From above, it appeared as though the train had halted at the station. I noticed that the platform was damaged when I went inside the station,” he said.
Here's a timeline:
10.13 a.m. - Train leaves Chintadripet
10.15 a.m. - Train enters Park Town station where the accident occurs
10.40 a.m. - Rescue workers and railway officials reach the accident spot.
11.15 a.m. - Train carrying equipment to lift the MRTS train arrives at the station.
1 p.m. - Train is kept on the track
4. 20 p.m. - Railway officials inspect the tracks
4.40 p.m. - Train services were restored
