Tragedy on the tracks: Moving train, sitting duck

Bengaluru: For the passengers of Bengaluru-Nanded Express, it was a shock at dawn when a truck loaded with granite rammed into the train at a manned level crossing at Penugonda. The accident left five people dead, including Devadurga MLA A. Venkatesh Naik. This is the second incident involving the Bengaluru-Nanded Express train in the last two years.

Out of three passengers who were injured in the train accident, two seriously injured passengers were brought to Bengaluru city for further treatment. According to SWR officials, Mr.  Jagadish Gupt (53) who was travelling from Bengaluru is grievously injured and  admitted to Sagar Hospital.

Bed roll attendant Mr. Suresh (46) a resident of Davanagere was admitted to Apollo Hospital at Bannerghatta road. Third injured passenger Mrs. Shantha (46) travelling from Bengaluru to Raichur sustained minor injuries and was discharged from a hospital in Penukonda after treatment.

“Both passengers are out of danger. As they have sustained injuries like fracture of the leg and head injuries we have shifted them to Bengaluru. Railway will bear all expenses,” said an officer.

More trains cancelled partially

By Monday night SWR had cancelled several Bengaluru bound trains. These partially cancelled trains include Hubballi-Mysore Hampi Express, Mysore-Solapur Golbumbaz Express, Bengaluru Cantonment-Vijayawada Passenger , Vijayawada-Bengaluru Cantonment passenger trains.

Train track restored

SWR officials said that the broad gauge track which was damaged due to derailment was restored for rail traffic at 3.10 pm on Monday with a speed restriction of 20 kmph in that section.

Rescue

On being alerted to news of the accident, Mr Sanjiv Agarwal, Divisional Railway Manager, Bengaluru Division and his team of branch officers of Bengaluru Division rushed to the spot. Medical Relief Vans from Bengaluru and Guntakal and Accident Relief Trains from Bengaluru and Guntakal reached the accident site to direct rescue operations and restore the broad gauge track.

Mr P.K. Saxena, General Manager, South Western Railway and Senior railway officials from Headquarters of SWR, Hubli have also rushed to the spot to oversee the rescue operations. 20 buses have been arranged for the stranded passengers to get them to their respective destinations.

Helpline numbers

• Accident spot: 09701374062, 09493548005, 09448090399, 00873-763945549
• Bengaluru railway station: 080-22354108, 080-22156553, 09731666751
• Bengaluru Cantonment station: 080-2333 9163, 58885 (Railway)
• Hindupur railway station: 0855-6220444
• Penukonda railway station: 0855-220244
• Dharmavaram railway station: 085509224422

City passengers hit by cancellations, diversions

After the train accident in Anantapur early on Monday morning, two trains were cancelled, while 14 others headed to Bengaluru were diverted. Thousands of passengers from the city were affected as the trains were delayed. The trains were diverted through Guntakal, Rayadurg, Chikjajur and Arsikere.

Ms Rajini Ponnappa, who was travelling in the Karnataka Express from New Delhi, reached the city five hours late. “I had even booked a cab. But after the accident, our train was diverted which took a lot of time,” she said.

South Western Railway officials said that Hindupur-Guntakal Passenger and Bengaluru Cantonment-Vijayawada Passenger, which were scheduled to leave from the Cantonment Station were cancelled. The diverted trains were: Mysuru-Satya Sai Prashanti Nilayam Express, Gorakhpur-Yeshwantpur express, Nizamuddin-Bengaluru City Rajdhani Express, Mumbai-Nagercoil Express, Kacheguda-Bengaluru City Express, Mumbai-Bengaluru Express, Solapur-Yeshwantpur Express, Bidar-Yeshwantpur Express, Kacheguda- Yeshwantpur Express,  Bagalkot-Mysuru Express, Secunderabad-Yeshwantpur Garib Rath Express, Bhubneswar-Bengaluru city station Prashanti Express, Koraba- Yeshwantpur Express and New Delhi-Bengaluru City Karnataka Express.

Multiple railway tragedies at Penugonda

• This is the second incident involving the Bengaluru-Nanded Express train in the last two years. In the early hours of December 28, 2013, 26 passengers including two children were charred to death following a fire inside an AC coach in Anantpur district.
• This is the third railway tragedy reported from Penukonda in Andhra in the last three years. On May 22, 2012, 25 passengers died and 70 were injured when Hampi Express collided with a goods train in Anantpur.