Rail services resume in Rayagada-Vizianagaram route

BHUBANESWAR: Rail connectivity between Rayagada and Vizianagaram railway section under Waltair division of the East Coast Railway (ECoR) zone became normal on Monday after restoration of damaged tracks near Kuneru station in Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border, where Jagdalpur-Bhubaneswar Hirakhand Express had derailed late on Saturday night.
The train had total 22 coaches. Nine coaches were affected in the accident.Rear portion of 13 coaches had left the site at around 7 am on Sunday. Total 40 people were killed and 50 others injured in the accident. Railway had transported the passengers of the train in a special train and 13 special buses to long distance places like Berhampur and Bhawanipatna.
ECoR sources said five coaches were re-railed and four others badly damaged compartments were grounded by 6 pm on Sunday. The guard-cum-luggage van and its nearby three sleeper coaches were badly damaged in the derailment as a result these coaches couldn’t be re-railed. But the engine along with general class, two sleeper class coaches and an AC 3 tier were re-railed, said the official sources.
The electrical, mechanical and other engineering staff cleared the track by repairing it. Tracks were restored at around 4.50 am near Kuneru station. Later, railways ran a goods train at 6 am after conducting trial run on the route, said ECoR chief public relations officer JP Mishra.
Following the derailment, communication between the railway section was badly hit on Sunday. ECoR had cancelled eight trains. It had also short-terminated seven trains and diverted 10 others in view of the derailment. Even South Central Railway (SCR) had cancelled, partially cancelled and diverted some important trains due to the accident.
But on Monday both the ECoR and SCR have run their held up trains after restoration of the tracks, railway sources said.