Tags:
Journalism of Courage
MUMBAI, Sept 30: One person was killed and another injured when three bogies of Godavari Express derailed between Titwala and Khadavli early this evening throwing the traffic on the Central corridor out of gear. The dead has been identified as 25-year-old Ulhasnagar resident Sunil Shyamlal.
The train was on its way from Kurla to Manmad when the three second-class compartments jumped rails at around 4.05 pm. As a result not only was peak hour suburban traffic beyond Titwala disrupted, but the train services toward Mumbai also ground to a halt. Rescue work was hampered by heavy showers accompanied by thunder and lightning.
All long-distance train services on the Nashik route too were disrupted due to the derailment. Many were diverted along the Pune-Daund-Manmad adding around eight hours to the journey. The 5217 Down Kurla-Muzaffarpur Pawan Express that was scheduled to leave Kurla at 4 pm left a little over two hours late. The 1439 Dadar-Sewagram Express scheduled to leave Dadar at 3.10 pm left over 3hours late.
Though announcements were made at Kalyan station that alternate bus services had been arranged, hundreds of commuters were seen stranded at various stations. Taxis plying to Nashik had suddenly raised their fares from Rs 160 to Rs 300, while autorickshaws plied to Bhiwandi charging Rs 50 per seat.
The derailment completed a bad day for the CR which began with the bunching of trains near Thane during the morning peak hours. Railway officials said that the bunching might have been an after-effect of the extension of a block taken up on the route for repair works. Services were delayed for more than 30 minutes in the morning and continued to run late till late afternoon.
A Central Railway press release issued late in the evening said the restoration work at the mishap site was on in full swing and the upline was likely to be cleared for traffic by 9 pm. The downline, however, would be available for traffic only after 4 am tomorrow. Central Railway has opened enquiry booths at Mumbai CST, Kurlaand Kalyan. Enquiries can also be made on telephone. The nos. are: 261 2290 at Mumbai CST, 522 4812 at Kurla and 911 325447 at Kalyan.
Meanwhile, Dussera celebrations in Mumbai are likely to be affected by the derailment, with tonnes of marigold flowers, mango and `appa’ leaves, which are traditionally used for pujas, lying at stations between Asangaon and Kalyan. These items are usually brought to Mumbai by tribals during the Dussera season.
