A goods train travelling along the Delhi-Mumbai route derailed in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday night. The incident took place near Ratlam with officials indicating that nobody had been hurt in the accident. The derailment however affected rail traffic on the down line.
“Three coaches of the train have derailed. One coach has been lifted, the second has a minor issue, and the third also has a minor issue, but it will be lifted soon... All evidence is being collected... We are not cancelling any trains, though some may be delayed. This train was travelling from Rajkot to Bakaniya, near Bhopal... The investigation teams are working,” Ratlam DRM Rajneesh Kumar told ANI.
Videos of the incident have since gone viral and show the affected compartments lying on their side while officials and locals gather with flashlights.
Officials also indicated that efforts were underway to restore the route in the early hours of Thursday. An investigation team is also working to determine the cause of the derailment.
According to a PTI report, the train had been carrying petroleum products from Rajkot in Gujarat to Bakania-Bhouri near Bhopal.
“One of the wagons is leaking petroleum product and we are taking all precautions to avoid any untoward incident,” Kumar added in conversation with PTI.
Senior railway officials rushed to the spot with relief and rescue teams in the hours after the accident while announcements were made on the public address system, asking people to stay away from the derailed wagons and not light any cigarette or bidis. Among the three wagons, one has already been lifted and another required a crane for it to be moved away from the tracks.
Only the down line was affected with officials indicating that two trains had been stranded in the wake of the derailment.
(With inputs from agencies)
