Bhubaneswar: The East Coast Railway (ECoR) successfully restored train services on the Cuttack-Nergundi Rail Section by Monday morning, following the derailment of the Bangalore-Guwahati AC Superfast Express. The accident occurred at approximately 11:54 AM on Sunday, March 30, 2025, between Kendrapara Road and Nergundi stations, temporarily affecting train movements in the Cuttack-Bhadrak section.

Restoration efforts were carried out on a war footing, with railway personnel working tirelessly through the night. ECoR General Manager Shri Parmeshwar Funkwal personally supervised the operations at the site, ensuring swift and efficient restoration. The tracks were declared fit for train movement at 07:15 AM on Monday, and the Overhead Equipment (OHE) was restored by 07:40 AM. The first goods train successfully passed the affected stretch at 09:30 AM, marking the resumption of normal services.

Key Developments

Rapid Restoration: Railway personnel, aided by sleeper rakes, poclain machines, tower cranes, and teams from NDRF/ODRAF and the district administration, worked relentlessly to clear the tracks and resume services within 20 hours.

Controlled Train Movement: Trains initially resumed operations at reduced speeds of approximately 10 kilometers per hour, with speed limits to be gradually increased as conditions stabilize.

Diversion of Trains: To minimize passenger inconvenience, ECoR diverted 38 down-line and 17 up-line trains via alternate routes during the disruption.

Diverted Train Routes on March 31

Several key trains, including the 20892 Brahmapur-Tata Vande Bharat Express, 22503 Kanyakumari-Dibrugarh Express, 12278 Puri-Howrah Shatabdi Express, and 12074 Bhubaneswar-Howrah Jan Shatabdi Express, were rerouted via the Barang-Naraj-Kapilas Road section.

Trains that began their journey on March 30 and followed the alternate route on March 31 included:

22841 Trivandrum-Shalimar Express

18046 Hyderabad-Shalimar East Coast Express

12842 Chennai-Shalimar Coromandal Express

22808 Chennai-Santragachhi AC Express

08012 Puri-Bhanjapur Biweekly Express

12880 Bhubaneswar-LTT Express

12245 Howrah-Bangalore Express

22824 New Delhi-Bhubaneswar Rajdhani (March 29, 2025)

22855 Santragachhi-Tirupati Express

12504 Agartala-Bangalore Express

Passenger Assistance and Response

ECoR prioritized passenger safety and ensured that all affected travelers were transported to their destinations with minimal inconvenience. By Sunday evening, efforts shifted towards resuming full train operations while continuing to assist passengers.

ECoR expressed gratitude to passengers for their patience and cooperation, as well as to local authorities and railway personnel for their swift action in restoring services. Their commitment to maintaining uninterrupted train operations under challenging conditions highlights the dedication of railway workers in serving the people of Odisha and beyond.