Kozhikode: A major tragedy was narrowly averted at Kerala’s Kozhikode Railway Station on Thursday when a nearly 130-year-old clock tower building collapsed onto Platform No. 2, sending tonnes of debris crashing onto it and overhead electrical lines.
The incident occurred at around 11.10 a.m., but no passengers were present in the affected area when the structure gave way.
Railway employees who were near the tower noticed the collapse in time and ran to safety, escaping unhurt.
A Kozhikode-Kannur passenger train, scheduled to depart at 2.05 p.m., was standing on Platform No. 2.
However, the train was locked, and no passengers had boarded it, preventing what could have turned into a devastating accident.
The iconic clock tower, situated between Platforms 2 and 3, collapsed along with a portion of the roof, which fell onto Platform No. 2.
The debris also damaged overhead electrical lines, disrupting train services.
The Mangaluru–Thiruvananthapuram Eranad Express was delayed following the incident, while railway authorities suspended passenger access to Platforms 2 and 3 as a precaution.
Preliminary assessments indicate that the collapse was triggered by the structural weakening of the heritage building following days of incessant rain in Kozhikode.
The district has been witnessing heavy rainfall over the past several days, with intense showers continuing on Thursday morning.
The incident has also raised uncomfortable questions about the safety of ageing railway infrastructure.
Officials had reportedly identified cracks in the building and concluded that the structure had deteriorated considerably because of its age.
Railway personnel had even inspected the tower earlier in the day, and discussions were underway on measures to address the problem when the collapse occurred.
Railway authorities maintained that they had already received warnings about the possibility of the building collapsing and that safety arrangements were being initiated.
However, the explanation has done little to silence criticism.
Renovation works, including piling operations, are currently underway at the station, and concerns had previously been raised that the vibrations from these activities could further weaken the station’s ageing structures.
Critics allege that repeated warnings were not acted upon with the urgency they deserved.
The remaining portion of the clock tower is also feared to be unstable.
Anticipating the possibility of further collapse, the Railways has declared a high alert at the station, completely cordoning off the affected area and restricting public access until the structure is declared safe.
Demanding accountability, MLA Mohammed Riyas called for a comprehensive safety audit of Kozhikode Railway Station.
He pointed out that the Divisional Railway Manager had visited the site recently and that the deteriorating condition of the heritage structure was already known.
Despite this, he alleged that no effective preventive measures or movement restrictions were imposed, allowing the situation to culminate in a collapse that, by sheer providence, claimed no lives.
(IANS)
