Thiruvananthapuram: The locomotive of Bilaspur-Tirunelveli Exp (22619) derailed after a landslide near Parassala station at 2.20am on Thursday, disrupting services between Thiruvananthapuram and Nagercoil for nearly six hours. No one was injured. Services resumed around 8.10am on the Neyyattinkara-Parassala section after railway staff removed the derailed locomotive and completed safety checks. Parasuram Express (16650) bound for Mangaluru passed through the section at 9.14am.However, disruption of trains – six trains were cancelled, a few were short-terminated and many were delayed – during the peak morning hours caused huge inconvenience to passengers who travel from Thiruvananthapuram to Nagercoil, Kollam, Kottayam and Ernakulam for work every day. Many could not go to work on the first day of the week after puja holidays.Soon after the information about the accident was passed on to the nearest station, railways moved the train to Neyyattinkara station with the help of a relief locomotive, terminated its journey and arranged buses to take the passengers to their destinations. An accident relief train, along with personnel and materials, reached the site to rerail the locomotive and restore the tracks. The slushy soil and stones were removed and the track was cleared.Tambaram-Thiruvananthapuram Central Special (06163) and Madurai-Punalur Express (16729) were held up at Eraniel and North Panakudi in Tamil Nadu respectively.Tambaram-Thiruvananthapuram Central Amrit Bharat Express (16121) that left Tambaram at 5.30pm on Oct 21 was short-terminated at Nagercoil Town. Thiruvananthapuram-Tambaram Amrit Bharat Express (16122) scheduled to leave Thiruvananthapuram Central at 10.40am on Oct 22 started from Nagercoil Town at 11.47am. The train was partially cancelled between Thiruvananthapuram Central and Nagercoil Town.Trains cancelled on ThursdayThiruvananthapuram North-Nagercoil Junction Passenger (56306) scheduled to leave Thiruvananthapuram North at 6.30am, Nagercoil Junction-Thiruvananthapuram North Passenger (56309) scheduled to leave Nagercoil Junction at 6.20pm, Nagercoil Junction-Kollam Junction Passenger (56102) scheduled to leave Nagercoil Junction at 6.25am, Kollam Junction-Nagercoil Junction Passenger (56101) scheduled to leave Kollam Junction at 3.35pm, Nagercoil Junction-Thiruvananthapuram North Passenger (56305) scheduled to leave Nagercoil Junction at 7.55am and Thiruvananthapuram North-Nagercoil Junction Passenger (56310) scheduled to leave Thiruvananthapuram North at 1.25pm.Railway officials said long-distance trains, including Guruvayur-Chennai Egmore Express (16128) and Pune-Kanyakumari Express (16381), would be delayed.Liyons J of Friends of Rail said many people were unable to reach work in Kollam, Kottayam and other cities as well as towns along the southern route to Nagercoil. Parasuram Express to Mangaluru and Madurai-Punalur Express, favoured by daily commuters, were delayed while Sabari Express was overcrowded, he said.
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