Derailment due to work on third line: Sources

Mumbai: The derailment of nine coaches of the Nagpur-Mumbai Duranto Express in the early hours of Tuesday may have been caused due to the construction work being conducted on the third line. One passenger was reportedly injured in the derailment. This is the second derailment in the four days in Mumbai.

The incident took place between Asangaon and Vasind stations of Central Railway (CR). Around five NDRF teams were sent to the spot, but the inaccessibility of the trains made it difficult for the rescuers to reach the spot. The NDRF teams managed to reach the spot around two hours after the derailment.

Contractor and workers of the CR’s third line - that is Pune-Lonavala - were told to work on Monday. They had pointed out that mud from the ghat section was falling on to the tracks, said sources. An official said, “We have been asking the Railways to include the Pune-Lonavala section as a part of the suburban section and work for the same was underway in full swing.” He added, “Some of the officials were told about the mud sliding on to the track, but no one thought it would eventually lead to a landslide.”

The Western Railway (WR) recently witnessed the derailment of a CST-Andheri train on August 25 in which six passengers were injured.

Meanwhile, the CR said that a mudslide to due heavy rains hit the Duranto express and derailed its nine coaches and locomotive at 6.40 am. The express was heading from Nagpur to Pune.

Chief public relations officer Sunil Udasi said, “As of now we have ascertained that there were heavy rains in the section and the mud from the ghats fell on to the track at the time the Duranto express was passing.” He added, “There have been no injuries in the incident.” The trains were available only up to Titwala on the CR line and services to Asangaon and Kasara were completely suspended.