Howrah-CSMT Express train accident: At least two people were killed and around 150 were injured when 18 coaches of the Howrah-CSMT Express (Train number 12810) derailed early Tuesday morning near Rajkharsawan railway station in Jharkhand. The accident occurred at 3:45 am near Barabamboo, approximately 80 km from Jamshedpur, under the Chakradharpur Division of South Eastern Railway. The derailment happened after the passenger train collided with a goods train.
Reason for the train accident
According to information received from railway sources:
- At the location where the train accident occurred, goods train wagons were already present on the track, completely covered with plastic.
- Due to strong winds, the plastic cover on the wagons suddenly flew away.
- At the same time, the Howrah-Mumbai Mail train (Train number 12810) was approaching on the nearby track.
- The plastic cover flew and fell on the engine of the Howrah-Mumbai Mail, covering the windshield of the loco pilot's cabin.
- This caused the loco pilot's view to be completely obstructed. Additionally, the external main light on the train's engine was also covered, plunging the loco pilot into sudden darkness.
- In a hurry, the loco pilot applied the emergency brakes, causing the train to derail 18 bogies of the train.
- The railway sources indicated that the accident was primarily caused by the emergency braking. The LHV coach derailed as a result of the emergency brakes being applied when the driver's view was obstructed by the plastic. At the time, the train was travelling at a speed exceeding 100 kmph.
Railways announces ex gratia
The railways has announced Rs 10 lakh ex gratia for kin of each deceased, Rs 5 lakh for those with major injuries, Rs 1 lakh for those with minor injuries, Aditya Kumar Choudhary, Senior DCM, Chakradharpur, told PTI.
According to the railway CPRO, rescue and relief operations have been completed.
South Eastern Railway (SER) cancelled a few express and passenger trains owing to the accident. These are the 22861 Howrah-Titlagarh-Kantabanji Express, 08015/18019 Kharagpur-Jhargram-Dhanbad Express, 12021/12022 Howrah-Barbil-Howrah Jan Shatabdi Express, 18109 Tatanagar-Itwari Express and 18030 Shalimar-LTT Express.
Some other trains will be short-terminated or diverted, the official said. They are 18114 Bilaspur-Tatanagar Express which will be short terminated at Rourkela, 18190 Ernakulam-Tatanagar Express at Chakradharpur, 18011 Howrah-Chakradharpur Express at Adra and 18110 Itwari-Tatanagar Express at Bilaspur.
The South Eastern Railway has opened helpline numbers for passengers. The numbers are 022-22694040 for Mumbai, 08799982712 for Bhusawal, 7757912790 for Nagpur, 0657-2290324 for Tata, 06587-238072 for Chakradharpur, 0661-2501072 and 0661-2500244 for Rourkela and 06645-272530 for Jharsuguda.
Helpline numbers for Howrah are 9433357920 and 033-26382217, Shalimar (7595074427 and 6295531471) and Kharagpur (03222-293764), the SER said.
(Input: Anamika Gaur)
