Hundreds of passengers were left stranded after 12 coaches of the Thiruvananthapuram-Mangalore Express got derailed near Kochi in the wee hours on Sunday, reported PTI. However, there have been no reports of casualties so far.
The accident occurred between Aluva and Karukutty stations in Ernakulam district around 2.30 am when the train was about to reach Karukutty station, around 45 km from Kochi. According to The Hindu, the derailed coaches have blocked an adjacent track as well. A high-level inquiry will be conducted to ascertain the cause of the accident. However, fissures on the track could be the reason, reported The New Indian Express.
A Southern Railway spokesperson told PTI that the stranded passengers were being taken either to Kochi or Thrissur in 11 local buses. According to The New Indian Express, tickets will be refunded. A railway official said those who made online booking will get back their money automatically.
A few trains have been cancelled while others are expected to be delayed. Five long distance trains — Trivandrum-Mumbai, Kanyakumari-Bangalore, Alapuzha-Dhanbad, Trivandrum-Gorakhpur Raptisagar, Trivandrum-Hyderabad Sabari express have been diverted. According to railway officials, it will take around 10 hours to restore traffic along the route.
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