Speed restrictions to stay 2 more weeks in Thiruvananthapuram-Shoranur section

Kochi: The speed restrictions imposed by the Southern Railway in the Thiruvananthapuram-Shoranur section would continue for two more weeks. “We’ve completed only 70 percent of the urgent repair works (rail fractures) being carried out post the Karukutty derailment. Trains will continue to run at a maximum of 30 kmph instead of up to 100 kmph,” said a senior engineering department official. The permanent way inspection wing had found defects in the tracks at a total of 202 points, including rail fracture at 31 places, where only temporary repairs using bolts and nuts were done.

The speed restriction is being imposed at these points to facilitate permanent repairs including track replacement. The section most affected will be Ernakulam-Shoranur where there were 15 rail fractures initially while the rail traffic returned to near normalcy in the Thiruvananthapuram-Ernakulam section. “All trains including Express ones are taking an additional one hour in most days to cover the Ernakulam-Thrissur section post derailment. Many commuters have shifted to buses due to the late running of trains,” said Manikandan R. D, the secretary of the Edapally Railway Passengers Association, a regular passenger.

Meanwhile, the division is also facing an acute shortage of raw materials which has affected repair works like the track replacement. “The last track replacement exercise was in 2004 after at least three rail fractures were reported in a particular section. Currently, the rail replacement is mostly in sections where the rails were laid in 1997. There is a huge backlog due to material shortage. We hope the division will be allowed more materials like rails in the wake of the recent mishap,” the official said.