Panic after two coaches come off their coupling

Chennai: Panic prevailed among passengers in a suburban electric train on Chennai Beach-Chengelpet route on Wednesday afternoon after the coupling between two coaches gave up while the train was leaving Urapakkam station.
Passengers in seven bogeys were stranded while five bogeys continued in motion when the motorman noticed it.

The suburban train (No.40527) had left Chennai beach around 10.17 am and reached Urapakkam railway station around 11 32 am.

As the train was leaving from the Urapakkam railway station, the coupling between 6th and 7th coach from leading motor coach gave up. According to railway sources, there is no station master at Urapakkam and only a booking clerk. Passengers in the stranded bogeys were alarmed and began jumping out of the bogeys in fear. Other passengers on the platform pacified those in the train.

Meanwhile, the railway officials were informed and a team rushed to the Urapakkam railway station. All passengers were disembarked and the leading portion of the rake was cleared at Guduvancheri railway station at 12:27 pm and the second portion was cleared to Guduvancheri station at 12 36 pm. According to an official statement from Southern Railway, “On detailed examination of couplers of both the coaches it was found out that coupler had given up due to failure of the material inside. The matter is being taken up with the material supplier for this lapse.”

Consequent to this incident, Train No. 40536 and 40538 were partially cancelled between Chengalpattu and Tambaram, the release added.