Mumbai: A truck collided with the Mumbai-Amravati Express at Bodwad Railway Station in the Bhusawal division, between the Bhusawal and Badnera sections, on Friday (March 14). The incident took place when the truck crossed a closed railway crossing, leading to the collision. A speeding truck crashed into a level-crossing gate and got stuck on railway tracks and was hit by an express train in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district today morning.
According to railway officials, no injuries were reported to the truck driver or any passengers on the train. The Railway traffic, which was briefly disrupted due to the incident near Bodwad station around 4.30 am, was restored by 8:50 am which disrupted rail services on the route for about 6 hours.
Central Railway CPRO Dr Swapnil Nila said, "...Today morning, in Bhusawal division at Bodwad Station, train no 12111 which was running from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus to Amravati had an incident. A truck had unauthorisedly crossed the track at a location which was closed...There has been no injury...But because of this incident, there has been disruption to the traffic, and the traffic has now been restored and trains are being run. The incident happened around 4.30 am and the traffic has now been restored."
Just when the 12111 Amravati Express from Mumbai to Amravati was about to pass through the area, the driver of a truck lost control over the wheel and rammed the vehicle into a level-crossing gate, the official said. The truck broke the barrier at the rail-road intersection and got stuck on the tracks. The driver got down and was seeking help when the train hit the truck, the official said.
The alert loco pilot had spotted the truck on the tracks and slowed down the train, which averted a much bigger accident, he said. Officials from the railways, local police, Government Railway Police and Railway Protection Force rushed to the spot and launched an operation to clear the track, he said.
The truck got stuck to the train engine, which blocked rail traffic on the stretch for a few hours, the official said. A gas cutter and earthmover were engaged to remove the truck from the tracks.
The track was cleared around 10:20 am and the train left for the next station. A case is being registered and a probe is underway, the official added.