Visakhapatnam: When the Lingampalli-bound Janmabhoomi Superfast Express pulled out of the railway station here early on Wednesday morning, it left two of its bogies behind, startling passengers and railway officials. This finally resulted in a three-hour delay and passengers being forced to switch bogies along with their luggage.
The train left the station at 6.20 am and railway staff raised an alarm two minutes later, after finding that two AC coaches had separated from the train and were standing at the platform.
Railway staff alerted the locomotive pilots about the problem. The train was then moved back to Visakhapatnam station for immediate inspection and repair.
The coach link between the M-1 and D-1 coaches broke, causing two AC coaches to separate from the train, sources said.
Waltair division railway staff identified the fault in an electrical connection coupler. Following this, replacement coaches were attached to the train and passengers were required to board them along with their luggage.
Raghu Ram, travelling in the M-1 coach, said, "What would have happened if the decoupling had occurred in the middle of the journey on a moving train? Railway officials should ensure safety before releasing the train."
A passenger, who works at a factory in Anakapalli, expressed his frustration, stating, "Nowadays, train delays have become so common. I am a daily passenger on this train, and I've had to take a bus to be on time for my office, because of this incident.”
In a statement, Waltair divisional railway manager Saurabh Prasad emphasised that passenger safety and convenience were paramount for the railways. "Our teams are dedicated to ensuring that any technical issues are resolved swiftly to maintain the comfort and safety of our passengers," he said.
