The Kolkata-bound Jammu Tawi Express had a narrow escape from a landslide on Saturday after timely detection by a pilot engine motorman between Gaya and Koderma stations in Bihar, just minutes before the train was about to cross that stretch, Railway sources said.
The train was halted a few of kilometres before the spot averting the possibility of it ramming into the debris of rocks and stone boulders lying on the tracks, the sources said.
Railway officials said the landslide was detected on the tracks in a hilly area near Baskatwa in Gaya district by the motorman Prayag Yadav at 8.10 am, when the Kolkata-bound train was about to arrive. Yadav immediately informed the engineering and control offices of the ECR.
The Jammu-Tawi Express crosses the spot at 7.30 am but on Saturday it was running late and was expected to reach the site within 2-3 minutes, the sources said.
The place is 50 km from Gaya Junction and comes under Dhanbad division of East Central Railway (ECR).
ECR Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Arvind Kumar Rajak said, "Our officials swung into action, cleared the debris and opened the tracks for movement of trains within three hours of the detection of landslide. The trains are running smoothly through the section now."
Many trains were delayed at various stations on the Gaya - Dhanbad route for several hours while the tracks were being cleared.
Prominent among the long distance trains were 12365 Patna-Ranchi Janshatabdi Express, 12322 Mumbai-Howrah Mail, 12382 New Delhi-Kolkata Poorva Express and 12988 Ajmer-Sealdah Express, he said.
The Jammu Tawi Express finally crossed the site at 10.55 am, he said, adding that movement of trains has become normal on the section.
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