A railway worker was killed and six persons injured, three of them severely, in a boulder collapse between Chimidapalli and Borra Caves railway stations on the Kottavalasa-Kirandul (KK) Line on Tuesday.
According to reports reaching here, the mishap occurred when the workers were attending to track work on the section. V. Suresh (39), who was posted at the S. Kota railway gate, was killed in the mishap. The six injured persons were shifted to the Government Hospital at S. Kota.
Boulders fell on the track in the ghat section between Chimidapalli and Borra Guhalu, around 75 km from Visakhapatnam, after incessant rain during the past few days, in the early hours of Tuesday. Some railway staff and contract workers went to the spot to clear track. However, while the men were at work, there was another boulder collapse at around 1 p.m. resulting in injuries to the railway employees and contract workers.
The deceased railway employee is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter.
An accident relief train was sent from the Divisional Headquarters in the city to the accident spot.
The track clearance is likely to be delayed in view of the second boulder fall. Normally, 12 goods trains a day are operated, mainly for movement of iron ore from the Bailadila Mines in Chhattisgarh to the Visakhapatnam Port. At present, only around five goods trains are being operated on this section in view of the shortage of labour due to the lockdown.