NAWABSHAH: A potentially disastrous accident was averted on Friday when the Shalimar Express train escaped collision with a dumper truck loaded with gravel that had stuck on the railway track near Nawabshah railway station.
The quick action of the gateman, who signaled urgency with a red flag, warned the driver about the imminent danger ahead. The driver, Abdul Ghaffar, applied emergency brakes, bringing down the speed of the train from 180 km/h to a lesser speed, saving what could have been a major derailment and possibly serious consequences.
The train indeed collided with the truck, pushing it down the tracks, but the reduced speed minimized the effects and averted derailment. The driver said, “I saw the truck blocking the line from about 800 meters away and immediately reacted upon the warning of the gateman.”.
The groomed details were given by Railway Assistant Engineer Maqsood Larik, who said that when the train was approaching, the gateman had started closing the railway crossing gate. To get across quickly, the truck driver got stuck on it. Realizing the gravity of the situation, the timely alert by the gateman through signaling the driver helped avert disaster.
As the railway department did not have heavy equipment, machinery was deployed to clear the tracks. The machinery was borrowed from the local municipal administration. The Shalimar Express, which was on its way to Lahore, resumed only after the tracks were cleared of the debris.
Later, Nawabshah Mayor Qazi Rashid Bhatti along with Old Nawabshah town chairman Hayat Kakepoto distributed eatables and refreshments among the stranded passengers. On the other side, the truck driver fled away, while the railway and rescue teams took all required steps to keep the passengers safe and comfortable.
This incident once again shows how much vigilance and timely decisions are required to avert railway disasters.
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