Seven coaches of the Kannur Bengaluru train derailed early on Friday, November 12, after falling boulders from a hill hit the running train. According to a statement from South Western Railway, seven coaches of train no 07390 Kannur-Bengaluru Express, two of 3rd AC class and five sleeper coaches (B1, B2, S6, S7, S8, S9 and S10), derailed. The accident took place in Muthampatti between Toppuru and Sivadi in Tamil Nadu. There were 2,348 passengers travelling on the train, and all of them are safe, the authorities have said. No casualty or injury has been reported.
The train had started from Kannur at 6.05 pm on Thursday, November 11, and the incident took place at 3.05 am on Friday, November 12. DRM Bengaluru Shyam Singh, along with a divisional team of senior officers and a medical team, rushed to the spot immediately and reached around 4.45 am to take stock of the situation. Pictures from the spot show boulders that rolled down the hill lying next to the coaches.
A bulldozer has been deployed to remove the boulders and restoration work is underway, officials have said. Five buses have been arranged at the spot of the accident to take the passengers on board the affected coaches to Toppuru and Bengaluru, and refreshments and water has been arranged for the passengers. 15 buses are being arranged at Toppuru for transporting the passengers.
Help desks have been set up in Hosur (04344-222603), Bengaluru (080-22156554) and in Dharmapuri (04342-232111) for those in need. Meanwhile, due to the derailment, the following trains have been diverted:
1. Train No. 02677 KSR Bengaluru-Ernakulam Superfast Special, scheduled departure at 6:10 am, will be diverted to run via Baiyyappanahali, Bangarapet and Tirupattur.
2. Train No. 07236 Nagercoil Jn-KSR Bengaluru Festival Special, scheduled arrival at 9:10 am, will be diverted to run via Salem, Tirupattur, Bangarapet and KSR Bengaluru.
3. Train No. 07316 Salem-Yesvantpur Express Special, scheduled departure at 5:30 am at Salem, will be regulated and rescheduled by 3 hours.