Mangaluru: Franklin Fernandes, a farmer in Pachanady who averted a major mishap using a bunch of red flowers was felicitated by MLA Moideen Bava here on Tuesday.
MLA Bava went to the farmer’s residence and appreciated the farmer for averting a major mishap at the Konkan route, Bondel-Pachanady railway track on Saturday
He also said “He has saved many lives by using bunch of red flowers soon after he noticed crack on the track. I will request the state government to honour him for his presence of mind” .
Meanwhile MP Nalin Kumar Kateel has also recommended Railway department to honour the farmer and has brought the matter into the notice of railway minister Suresh Prabhu.
Franklin, on Saturday, noticed a gap of around 1.5 inches on the railway track. Intercity Express passes over the same track at around 8.30am.Fernandes who was walking along the railway track at that time alerted the Mangalore- Madgaon Intercity Express about the crack on the railway track and managed to stop it just in time, avoiding a possible tragedy.
He immediately informed his brother who asked him to stop the train by waving a red cloth. While frantically looking for a red cloth, Fernandes sensed that the train was fast approaching.
As Fernandes was unable to find a piece of red cloth anywhere around, showing splendid presence of mind, he decided to use a bunch of red coloured flowers that were found in abundance around the track. Franklin collected the flowers and waved it at the approaching train.
Seeing the bunch of red flowers, the loco pilot stopped the train a few meters away from the gap. The accident was thus averted.
The loco pilot then informed the concerned authorities about the crack. The train again started its journey 50 minutes later, after the repair works were completed. Later, it was learnt that the gap was developed following a separation between welded tracks.
