Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (MS)

Udupi, May 27: Track gangman Pradeep Shetty averted a possible train disaster by detecting a joint slip on the railway track between Innanje and Padubidri at around 2:25 am on Sunday.

Pradeep, who spotted the slipping track joint with the help of a high-power torch, immediately reported the issue to the RME in Udupi. The RME promptly sent a track maintenance team to the spot, and the problem was rectified.

The repair work took three hours. Trains that were about to pass through this track were held up at Suratkal and Udupi railway stations. All trains passing through the Konkan Railway division on Sunday were delayed by three hours, according to Sudha Krishnamurthy, PRO of Konkan Railway, Mangaluru division.

CMD of Konkan Railway Santhosh Kumar Zha immediately announced a cash reward of Rs 25,000 for alert track gangman Pradeep Shetty. The cheque was handed over to Pradeep by senior engineer of the railway's Udupi section, Gopalakrishna, at the site. Pradeep was also honoured with a shawl and a flower bouquet. Section engineer of Udupi Mohan, station superintendent of Suratkal Raviraj, and other personnel were present.