Dangling power cable derails train schedules

Dangling power cable derails train schedules

BANGALORE: Around 800 passengers travelling to Chennai on the double-decker train were stranded at KR Puram railway station for three hours on Sunday evening after an overhead electrical cable snapped and was found hanging between Whitefield Satellite Goods Terminal and KR Puram stations.

The problem also delayed subsequent trains inconveniencing several hundred passengers.

Harrowed passengers created a ruckus at KR station, entering into arguments with railway officials who seemed to be taking a long time to fix the problem.

According to railway officials, the train reached K R Puram at 3.10pm and was stuck there for more than two-and-a-half hours. An official statement from the South Western Railway said: "The overhead electrification wire was found cut and hanging at km 340/600-900 between Whitefield Satellite Goods terminal and Krishnarajpuram Railway Stations. It was repaired by 5.38pm."

"It was only at 5.40pm that one of the two lines was repaired and one way traffic could be cleared. The double-decker left K R Puram at 6.10pm," an official said.

Sources said Howrah-Yeshwantpur Duronto, which was stuck for over an hour, was pulled by a diesel engine till Yeshwanthpur, making people wonder why the same wasn't done for the double-decker.

The problem saw four other trains delayed. The Marikuppam-Bangalore City Passenger (Train No.56509), the Arakkonam-Bangalore City Passenger (Train No.56261), Bangalore City-Jolarpet Express (16520) and the Bangalore City-Bangarpet Express (16522) were all stopped at Whitefield, as the journey from there to the city had to be cancelled. This forced passengers to use other means of transport to reach Majestic.

Source: TOI