Balasore: A potentially catastrophic train mishap was averted near Baruna Singh chhak at Nilgiri Road railway station in Odisha's Balasore district today, thanks to the prompt response of the vigilant loco pilot.

Preliminary reports suggest that a MEMU train mistakenly entered a loop line track, where maintenance work was underway. Fortunately, the astute loco pilot detected an anomaly and promptly applied the brakes, preventing a certain mishap.

The train was en route from Bhadrak to Balasore when the loco pilot noticed an error in the track's endpoint. Reacting swiftly, the pilot reversed the train towards Balasore, temporarily disrupting the movement of other trains along the route.

Commenting on the incident, the MEMU train's loco pilot said, "The train was traveling at a speed of 7-8 kmph, and the track had been set in the opposite direction due to ongoing construction work. The switch could have malfunctioned. While a derailment was unlikely, the tracks would have sustained damage."