Karukutty railway station master Babu Varghese. Photo: OnmanoramaAngamali: Babu Varghese, station master at Karukutty railway station is happy that a major disaster has been averted at the railway station under his jurisdiction. If not for the red light he beamed, hundreds could have met with certain danger.
Thiruvananthapuram-Mangalapuram Express and Chennai-Thiruvananthapuram Super Express are scheduled to pass through the station at about the same time. On Sunday morning, when the Thiruvananthapuram-Mangalapuram Express had derailed, the Chennai-Thiruvananthapuram Super Express had reached close to the station. However, the station master prevented any mishap by not allowing the Chennai-Thiruvananthapuram Super Express to proceed.
Bogies of the train had derailed into the first track through which Chennai-Thiruvananthapuram Super Express had to pass. If that train was allowed to pass, it would have met certain disaster. Previous accidents, as the one that happened in Vaniampadi, TN, years before, occurred when trains crashed into wrecked bogies lying on the tracks.
Normally, both trains are allowed to pass simultaneously, but the station master went out to enquire why the Thiruvananthapuram-Mangalapuram Express had stopped on the tracks. It was then that the loco pilot informed him about the danger. Babu did not allow Chennai-Thiruvananthapuram Super Express to pass, which saved so many lives.
