Freight train goes off cracked track at Mararithottam

Kollam: Railway services in the Thiruvananthapuram division were disrupted following the derailment of a goods train at Mararithottam near Kallukadavu bridge between Karunagappally and Sasthamkotta railway stations here in the wee hours of Tuesday. Seven bogies of the train that carried fertiliser from Madurai to Kottayam derailed around 12.50 a.m, and five bogies fell into a gorge near the railway track destroying the overhead electric lines and the track for about 300 metres.

According to a preliminary inquiry conducted by the railway officials, a fissure along the track led to the accident. The rail traffic was limited to a single track and the damaged track was expected to be repaired by Tuesday night.
Four trains were diverted and nearly ten, including passenger trains plying along the Kollam – Alappuzha – Ernakulam route, were cancelled giving a hard time to the passengers.

The repair work was being conducted with the help of special heavy duty cranes brought from Ernakulam to lift the derailed bogies. All the staff in the train, including the loco pilot, engine driver and the guard were safe. It may be recalled that 12 bogies of Thiruvananthapuram – Mangalore Express had derailed at Karukutty near Ernakulam on August 28.