The railway tracks near Arakkonam that had been damaged in the rail accident have been restored and trains have started plying on that sector.
Nearly 32 hours after the accident which killed one and injured 33 others, the railway tracks were set right and 8 out of the 12 bogies that derailed were removed using cranes. Also a senor in the transformer by the tracks, a signal and four overhead posts were fixed.
Said an official, ‘Trains would run at a speed of 10 kmph on the 400-metre stretch, which was affected due to the derailment. The train will be operated at the normal section speed of 110 km/h, after ensuring proper ballast cushion of 300 mm.
‘The previously exited turnouts at the accident spot were converted as plain straight tracks in view of emergency restoration work. The loop-line was fully suspended and would be renewed and normal train traffic movement on the loop-line would be restored within a month… Around 800 employees of various divisions — engineering, over head equipment, signal, telecom, and permanent way — of the department were engaged in the restoration work. The restoration works were completed about 10.30 am on Thursday.’