Rail traffic resumes on Delhi-Howrah route

PRAYAGRAJ: Train services on the Delhi-Howrah route of North Central Railways (NCR), Prayagraj division, which had been disrupted since October 15 (Friday) due to derailment of 24 empty wagons of a goods train between Ambiyapur-Rura stations of Kanpur-Tundla section, was restored on Saturday morning.

The Delhi-Howrah Up line was made operational at 12.15 am on Friday night, while the track on the down line could be restored around 6.30am on Saturday.

Chief public relations officer (CPRO) of NCR, Shivam Sharma informed that following the derailment of the empty wagons of the goods train going towards Deen Dayal Upadhayay Junction on Friday, several trains were diverted via Tundla, Etawah, Jhansi and Ghaziabad because of which these trains were delayed. After restoration work of about several hours, the track going towards New Delhi was opened at 12.15am and the line towards Howrah was cleared for normal traffic at 6.30am on Saturday.

After the restoration of the route, the first train 2404 Prayagraj-Jaipur Express passed through the down line on Saturday morning. With the restoration of Up and Down lines, trains are now running on the designated routes, although the same are being passed with caution at the effected site, said Sharma.

On the wee hours of Friday, an empty freight rake returning from New Delhi derailed in Kanpur Dehat. Because of the derailment, railways had to divert routes of 12 passenger trains and cancel eight others. The accident occurred at around 4.15am near Ambiapur railway station, 53km away from Kanpur central station. The rakes were heading towards Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya junction of the East Central Railway zone when the mishap took place.

No injuries or casualties were reported in the accident. A total of 24 wagons derailed affecting the New Delhi-Kanpur corridor following which several trains had to be diverted via Lucknow and Jhansi for New Delhi while a few had to be cancelled.