Mangaluru: A possible train mishap was averted after an alert track maintainer spotted a weld failure of rails on Konkan Railway Corporation network between Innanje and Padubidri in Udupi district on Sunday.
The track maintainer, Pradeep Shetty, noticed a weld failure of rails during the night patrol at 2.25 am and immediately informed the higher officials.
Train No 16345 Mumbai LTT-Thiruvananthapuram Central Netravathi Express was set to leave Udupi at 3 am towards Mangaluru Junction Railway Station while Train No 16595 KSR Bengaluru-Karwar Panchaganga Express from Mangaluru Junction would have passed through the stretch at around 4 am.
Officials took up the restoration measures of the defective rail at km 706/02-04.
Commending the work of the track maintainer, KRCL Chairman and Managing Director Santosh Kumar Jha announced a cash award of Rs 25,000, which was handed over to Shetty in the noon at the site, said Manager (Public Relations) Sudha Krishnamurthy.
Senior Engineer Gopalakrishnan also felicitated Pradeep Shetty. Senior Section Engineer Mohan from Udupi, Junior Engineer JE Pway, Surathkal Office Superintendent Raviraj, and others were present.