Alert staffer detects crack on tracks, saves Rajdhani

:An alert track maintenance staffer serving with the Dhanbad rail division in Jharkhand averted a major train accident after he detected a fracture on tracks minutes before the Sealdah-bound Rajdhani Express was to cross on them. Closely following Sealdah was the Howrah Rajdhani Express.

Both the trains were already running late by over an hour.

Railway public works inspector Satya Prakash quickly informed the station master of Choudharibandh railway station, who acted accordingly and got the oncoming trains stopped.

Dhanbad divisional spokesperson Md Shafi confirmed the incident and lauded Prakash’s presence of mind. He said that the team would be awarded by the divisional officers.

A humble Prakash said he is not the real hero. “A trackman, Dinesh, first saw the fracture and alerted me. Later, I did what was expected of me. I am happy things went as per plan,” he said.

The spokesperson said movement of trains remained affected on the down route between Dhanbad-Gaya section for around one and a half hours on Thursday morning after the fracture was detected near Chichaki railway station under the Dhanbad railway division.

“The incident was reported at 7 am. The men took about an hour and a half for repair works and cleared the route for traffic.”

Other trains plying on the route, including Gangasatluj Express closely behind the two Rajdhani Express, were detained at different stations.

Incidentally, this is the second

such incident on one of the busiest Gaya- Howrah route spotted within 48 hours. On Wednesday morning, a similar fracture was

detected by maintenance staff, Zaffar Imam, near Kalipahari station minutes before Howrah Ranchi Shatabdi was to cross.

A trackman, Dinesh, first saw the fracture and alerted me. Later, I did what was expected of me. I am happy things went as per plan

SATYA PRAKASH , Railway public works inspector