BELAGAVI
The South Western Railways (SWR) has hailed the alert loco drivers and crew for their timely action in saving the lives of 345 passengers and averting a major tragedy after the Mangaluru-Mumbai (CST) train partially derailed due to a landslide in the Braganza Ghat along the Londa-Goa route on Friday.
SWR GM Gajanan Mallya announced a cash reward to the crew for their alert and timely action.
It may be recalled that the engine and two bogies of the train derailed due to heavy rains at 6.10 am, as the diverted train was cruising uphill from Margao to Castle Rock.
However about 39 kms from Kulem near Dudhsagar-Sonaulim section, Ranjeet Kumar, the locopilot of the leading engine, noticed mud from side hills slipping on the track. Sensing danger, he immediately applied emergency brakes and brought the train to a halt.
“Due to soil and boulders on the track, the engine got derailed along with 2 set of wheels, despite the immediate braking. I informed the station master of Dudhsagar, who alerted the Hubballi control room,” said a crew member.
“Alerted due to brakes, the guard Shailender Kumar applied hand brakes situated at the rear. Parallelly, we instructed the assistant locopilots of the leading and backing engines to secure the train by tying chains to the track, placing wheel-skids, etc. as per standard safety protocol.”
Two coaches derailed due to the landslide and the crew shifted the passengers to rear coaches uncoupling the front two coaches. The train was later pulled back to Kulem.
Displaying alertness and presence of mind, the crew was hailed for averting a major train tragedy and saving precious lives.
The single railway line between Kulem and Castle Rock is 27 kms long and a tough stretch passing through dense forests of western Ghats in uninhabited territory.
Locopilot S D Meena, assistant locopilot SK Saini and guard Shailender Kumar took the train back to Kulem, while locopilot Ranjeet Kumar and his assistant Hashid K stayed back with the derailed engine near the spot to assist in restoration.
