MRTS commuters faced a delay of about 30 minutes on Thursday morning, after an empty rake derailed while a train was being taken to the maintenance yard near Velachery railway station.
Three nine-car trains were stranded behind one another on the tracks, at various junctions near Velachery railway station, after the derailment occured around 11.10 a.m.
T. Radhakrishnan, a commuter bound for Velachery, said the stoppage of the train on the tracks caused panic among the commuters and they started getting down from the train and walking on the tracks to reach the station.
Southern Railway officials said the train (No. 41051) was moving on the service tracks of the maintenance car shed, when a rear coach derailed.
Velachery railway station officials were immediately alerted. A team of maintenance staff were deputed. An Accident Relief Van from the Basin Bridge maintenance yard was brought to repair the tracks.Normal train service resumed by 11.40 a.m., officials said.
Train operations were delayed, but there was no cancellation of services. “An internal inquiry has been ordered and based on the investigation, steps will be taken,” a senior officer said.
