Loco pilot averts major mishap after tree falls on railway track near Thane

The incident occurred around 8:45 pm when a Gulmohar tree fell on the track just moments before the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus-Bhagalpur express was about to arrive at the tunnel

The presence of mind of a locomotive pilot on Monday night averted a major mishap after a tree from the Parsik tunnel fell and blocked track number 6 of the railway network between Thane and Kalyan station. The incident occurred around 8:45 pm when a Gulmohar tree fell on the track just moments before the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus-Bhagalpur express was about to arrive at the tunnel.

Official removing the fallen tree from the railway track at Parsik tunnel. (HT Photo)

When the express train arrived a few minutes later, the loco pilot slammed the brakes as soon as he approached the spot.

“The lights from the engine must have helped the loco pilot to notice the fallen tree. As soon as we were alerted, railway officials were at the spot,” said an officer from the central railway.

Along with railway officials, Thane Municipal Corporation’s tree department, the fire brigade and regional disaster management (RDMC) officers were rushed to the spot.

“The tree was removed from the spot within an hour,” said Avinash Sawant, chief of RDMC. Services were suspended on the route for an hour till 10 pm.

The Parsik tunnel near Mumbra is used by local and express trains between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Kalyan on the central railway’s main line.