Rail traffic restored at accident site of bullet train project in Gujarat
Ahmedabad, Mar 25 (PTI) A segmental launching gantry, which accidentally skid at a bullet train project site near Ahmedabad, was lifted after more than 24 hours, paving the way for train movement on an adjoining affected rail line, officials said on Tuesday.
The accident took place on Sunday night at the worksite of the National High Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRCL) near Geratpur Vatva section of Ahmedabad division, which affected the adjoining railway track and caused Overhead Electric Equipment (OHE) to break down, impacting train movement, the Western Railway had said in its statement.
After the segmental launching gantry was lifted, the first train passed on the rail line at 5.36 am on Tuesday, an official from the Western Railway’s Ahmedabad division said.
No casualty was reported in the incident, which took place around 11 pm on Sunday at Vatva near here, but 38 trains were fully cancelled.
Seven other trains, including the Vande Bharat Express between Gandhinagar and Mumbai, Shatabdi Express between Ahmedabad and Mumbai, and Ekta Nagar-Ahmedabad heritage special trains, were partially cancelled, the official said.
“Lifting operations for the affected gantry was successfully completed (at 11.58 pm on Monday). The operation involved two 750-ton cranes, two 500-ton cranes, and a 130-ton capacity crane to remove the gantry beams,” the NHSRCL, which is executing the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project, said.
“The lifting process was meticulously planned and monitored to ensure safety of the structure and prevent any further damage to the adjoining railway line. The lifting operations are now complete and the railway line has been cleared for restoration work,” it said.
The track and the OHE damaged in the incident were restored and made fit for the movement of trains at around 4.45 am on Tuesday, a railway official said.
The first goods train departed from the site at 5.36 am, and the first passenger train at 6.06 am, he said.
“There was no injury to any passenger or railway staff at or near the site. Senior officers and staff, including the Western Railway’s general manager, rushed to the site to monitor the restoration work to facilitate the movement of trains on the affected line,” the WR earlier said.
Passengers of the affected trains were provided tea, snacks and water bottles at various stations in coordination with local charitable trusts and NGOs, it said.
A helpline was also set up for the passengers, it added.
