Rail traffic in the Shoranur-Ernakulam corridor that was thrown into disarray from the early hours of Friday following the derailment of a goods train at the Aluva railway station yard was restored by 7 p.m. on Friday after the four derailed wagons were cleared and track restored.
Train number 12252 - Ernakulam-Barauni Raptisagar Express was the first to cross the restored track, where speed restrictions will be in force for some time, at 7.30 p.m. Soon after the accident, trains had to take turns in operating through the alternative track.
Over a dozen trains, most of them operating within the State, were cancelled, while many others were partially cancelled or rescheduled. The goods train having 42 wagons was carrying cement from Tamil Nadu to be unloaded at Aluva and Kollam railway stations when the accident occurred.
Two of the four wagons which got derailed toppled on their side in the impact. They had to be cut open and removed from the track using heavy machinery. That the accident occurred on the yard premises resulted in collateral damage to the signal and other points. Railway officials cited this as the reason for the delay in restoring train services. Food and water were provided to passengers of trains stranded at different places following the accident, they added.
Three trains — No. 12522 Ernakulam Junction-Barauni Junction Raptisagar Weekly Express, No. 12678 Ernakulam Junction-KSR Bengaluru Intercity Express, and No. 22149 Ernakulam Junction-Pune Superfast Express — were running late by 2 to 7 hours owing to the rescheduling of their timings.
Train No. 12082 Kannur-Thiruvananthapuram Central Janshatabdi Express and No. 22627 Tiruchchirappalli Junction-Thiruvananthapuram Central Intercity Express have been cancelled for Saturday, railway sources said.
