Track restoration work in full swing at Kantakapalli in Vizianagaram district on Monday.
| Photo Credit: V. RAJU
Notwithstanding the magnitude of the accident involving the rear collision of 08532 Visakhapatnam-Palasa passenger with 08504 Visakhapatnam-Rayagada passenger between Kantakapalli and Alamanda in Vizianagaram district, the coordinated efforts of various teams resulted in the restoration of track in just 19 hours.
Relentless efforts by around 1,000 workers, staff and supervisors from various departments, and the usage of heavy-duty 140-tonne cranes and more than 10 excavators on mission mode made possible the restoration of train services in a record time. Waltair Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Saurabh Prasad reached the spot within an hour of the accident and coordinated the rescue and relief operations.
“We had great difficulty in pulling out some bodies that were crushed between the coaches. The body of the loco pilot was crushed between the parts of the locomotive,” said a relief worker.
“The coordinated efforts of the teams and agencies, in association with the NDRF, APSDRF, railways, fire services and police departments helped achieve the restoration work in a record time,” say railway officials.
The first train, which passed the down line was a goods train, while the first on the up line was 18463 Bhubaneswar – KSR Bengaluru Prashanti Express at 2.36 p.m. on Monday.
Schedules of a significant number of trains were hit due to the accident. In all, 47 trains were cancelled, 24 diverted, eight short-terminated and eight rescheduled, impacting the Waltair Division. The prompt response and coordinated efforts in disaster management helped in quick restoration of tracks.
The residents of Chakilipalem and Alamanda villages which are closer to the accident spot were among the first to reach out to the victims. Some youths from these villages provided drinking water, tea and snacks to the relief workers, police personnel, officials and non-officials, who participated in the relief and restoration works.
Women from the villages prepared upma, idly and other snacks, bought soft drink sachets, water bottles with their own money, and distributed them to those engaged in the relief work.
A medical camp was organised by the Alamanda PHC to provide first-aid to the workers engaged in the relief operations, in case of need. A doctor, accompanied by nursing staff, walked along the tracks to reach out to relief workers when needed.
Tata Rao, a private employee, came from Kothavalasa and took part in the relief operations. But he had to return as security personnel refused to allow him near the accident spot.