Poorva express accident: Route restored after 29 hours

KANPUR: Railway technical staff and workers repaired and restored the damaged Up line at 5.34am on Sunday morning after working hard for 29 long hours at the accident site between Kanpur Central and Rooma railway stations in Maharajpur area of Kanpur. 12 coaches of Howrah-Delhi bound-12303 Poorva express derailed on 12:54am on Saturday leaving 6 passengers critically injured.
The derailment had damaged more than 500 metres of Up lines and uprooted nearly half-a-dozen OHE (over head electric) poles, besides also partially affected Dn line.
"However, with the restoration of Up line some trains cancelled, many others diverted at alternative routes on both sides of the accident site resumed their journey. The first train to pass the accident site with a caution was a goods train. Later Prayagraj express and Brahmaputra mail also passed through the section and reached Kanpur Central railway station and later headed for onward journey," said PRO, NCR (north central railway), Sunil Gupta.

Due to the mishap, initially both the Up and the Dn lines were affected and after 7 hours, the Dn route was restored and the first passenger train to pass through was the Vikramshila express. Also a goods train was passed through before this passenger train to give an okay signal for the train movement. Various heavy machines have been pressed into service to supplement efforts by the workers and engineers.

It may be mentioned that several trains had to be halted at Kanpur Central, Allahabad besides several other stations across the section because of the accident affecting several thousands of passengers. Railways had taken several steps to ensure that the inconvenience caused to the passengers is mitigated.

Repeated announcements were made at all stations providing passengers information on train probable movements and rescheduling and cancellation of trains.

Special teams were deputed at all stations to ensure that the passengers face minimum discomfort.

Curious onlookers meanwhile had gathered at the accident site, as linesmen and other workers shovelled away stones as new concrete sleepers were laid to reinforce the tracks.

"We have placed new concrete sleepers in a stretch of nearly 500 mtrs on Up line for laying down the new railway track, besides erected half-a-dozen OHE poles since the mishap occurred on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday. Right now we are resting after working for 29 long hours," a linesman said.