Locopilots stop Puducherry-Kacheguda Express after wrong track routing at Arakkonam

On the night of June 28, 2026, alert locopilots prevented a potential tragedy by stopping an express train carrying approximately 900 passengers after it was mistakenly routed onto the wrong track at the Arakkonam railway station in the Chennai Division of Southern Railway.

The incident involved Train No. 17654 Puducherry-Kacheguda Express, which had just departed from the Arakkonam station. While the signal had been cleared for the express train to proceed toward Renigunta, the track point was instead set for the Katpadi line.

Upon realizing that the train was traveling in the wrong direction, the locopilots immediately applied the brakes and brought the train to a complete halt. Wireless communication subsequently confirmed that the train had entered the incorrect track. After alerting the Station Manager, the locopilots safely rolled the train backward to Arakkonam railway station.

The routing error occurred on the same day Southern Railway completed a multi-crore remodelling of the Arakkonam yard project. According to railway officials, this project was intended to facilitate easier train operations and reduce running times between Arakkonam and Chennai.

Because of the ongoing works in the section, the signals and points were being operated manually at the time. Although the signal was cleared for the express train to proceed toward Arakkonam, the point remained set to the other track heading toward Katpadi.

Railway authorities have ordered an official investigation into the wrong routing of the ground track, calling the incident a serious compromise on safety. The Arakkonam-Katpadi line is a heavily trafficked section of the Chennai-Bengaluru rail sector. Official sources noted that if the locopilots had not sensed the danger and stopped the train, the possibility of an accident could not have been ruled out.

At the time of reporting, Southern Railway had not released a formal statement regarding the incident.