In Kerala, trains will crawl from now on: Check out why

Kochi: Starting Tuesday afternoon, train journey in Kerala is set to turn a nightmare as railway engineers put speed curbs on 202 stretches between Thiruvananthapuram and Shornur.

In the wake of the suspension of a senior section engineer responsible for the stretch near Karukutti where a train derailed on Sunday, his colleagues have started work on limiting the speed to 30 kilometers per hour, wherever they spot fissures on the track.

Boards regulating speed to 30 kilometers have been put up at 15 points between Aluva and Chalakkudy.

The engineers have not taken lightly the suspension of their colleague. The Southern Railway Engineers’ Association has demanded action against superior officers responsible for the accident.

Also read: Derailment: Blame games begin in Railways

The senior section engineer had warned about the fissure on the track at Karukutty and recommended replacing it but the higher officials chose to ignore him, the association alleged.

Higher officials had nixed a plan to put in place speed curbs on the stretch, the engineers said.

The speed regulation which will come into effect by the afternoon is sure to add to the woes of train passengers. Train transport through Kerala was restored only Monday morning and most of the long-distance trains are already delayed by several hours.

Probe on

An expert committee has started its probe into the accident at Karukutty. Chief safety officer John Thomas, who heads the panel, said his team will collect statements from eye witnesses, station masters and loco pilots - especially the loco pilot of the train that passed through Karukutty just before the accident.

The committee will also go though the records and look at all possible factors that could cause the crack on the track which is at a slight curvature.

Chief track engineer Latheef Khan, chief rolling stock engineer Paswan and chief electrical locomotive engineer Chowdhary are also in the team probing the accident.