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The derailment of the Secunderabad-Shalimar Weekly Express on Saturday in Kolkata has caused significant disruptions to train services in the region. The incident occurred at Nalpur, approximately 40 kilometers from Kolkata, where three coaches of the superfast express train derailed at 5:31 am. While there were no reported casualties, the derailed parcel van and two AC coaches severely impacted train movement on the South-Eastern Railway's Kharagpur division.
The impact of the derailment was felt throughout the day on Saturday and continued into Sunday, causing delays for numerous long-distance trains. Trains such as the Howrah-Puri Vande Bharat Express, Howrah-Rourkela Vande Bharat, Howrah-SMVT Bengaluru Duronto Express, Shalimar-MGR Chennai Central Coromondol Express, and Howrah-Puri Shatabdi Express all experienced significant delays in their departure times. Several other trains were also affected, including the Howrah-Secunderabad Falaknuma Express, Howrah-Digha Tamralipta Express, and Howrah-Bhubaneswar Jan Shatabdi Express, leading to disruptions in schedules and inconvenience for passengers.
In response to the derailment, the South-Eastern Railway (SER) worked diligently to restore train services. The middle track was cleared by 2:40 pm on Saturday, followed by the clearance of the downline by 6 pm. Despite these efforts, the disruptions throughout the day had a considerable impact on Sunday's train schedules. While SER officials assured that services were returning to normal, the late running of corresponding trains contributed to continued delays. A six-member committee has been formed to investigate the cause of the derailment, with engineers and experts examining the site to determine the factors that led to the incident. The investigation includes interviews with the loco-pilot and eyewitnesses.
Source: Major Train Delays in Kolkata After Secunderabad-Shalimar Express Derailment