Times of India reported that train movement along the 453 kilometer long Kottavalasa Kirandul line, used for iron ore transportation, got disrupted on Saturday after three engines and two wagons of an empty goods train derailed in the wee hours of Saturday when Maoists allegedly removed a 100 meter track at Kamaluru near Bhansi area of Dantewada, a border district of Chhattisgarh.

 

The derailment took place at 4 AM near Kamaluru area, 12 km from Dantewada.

 

The mishap resulted in movement of six to eight empty and loaded rakes suspended till traffic was cleared.

 

The authorities of Waltair division in the East Coast Railway resumed normal movement on the line at around 2 PM following the repair operations.

 

The Kottavalasa-Kirandul line is used mainly for transportation of iron ore to Visakhapatnam from NMDC's Bailadila mines, located in the Maoist-controlled Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh, partly for exports through ships at the port and also to meet the requirement of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and other steel and sponge iron ore producers. Every goods train has three engines on the KK line for freight traffic as the line is built on a hilly terrain with numerous tunnels.

 

The red rebels had blasted the tracks twice in March this year. (Source: Time of India)