India witnessed a series of unfortunate train accidents over the past two years, leading to numerous fatalities and injuries. The incidents have raised serious concerns about railway safety and the need for stringent measures to prevent such tragedies. Here is a detailed look at some of the major train accidents that occurred recently.
The accident occurred at Ruidhasa near Rangapani station in the Katihar Railway Division, ahead of New Jalpaiguri Junction, at approximately 8:45 am on June 17, 2024. The mishap occurred within the Siliguri subdivision of Darjeeling district.
The Kanchanjungha Express, travelling from Agartala in Tripura to Sealdah in Kolkata, was struck from behind by a goods train, Sabyasachi De, Chief Public Relations Officer of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), informed.
Visuals showed one of the bogies suspended in mid-air. Indian Railways officials in Delhi are closely monitoring the situation.
On October 11, 2023, train number 12506 Anand Vihar Terminal-Kamakhya Junction North East Express derailed near Raghunathpur Railway Station in Buxar district of Bihar. Six coaches went off the tracks, causing four fatalities and injuring over 70 passengers. The derailment prompted an investigation into its causes, highlighting the urgent need for better maintenance and safety protocols on the railways.
A devastating collision between two passenger trains in Andhra Pradesh's Vizianagaram district occurred on October 29, 2023. The Visakhapatnam-Palasa passenger train collided with the Visakhapatnam-Rayagada passenger train, leading to the death of 14 passengers. The accident was attributed to signal failure and human error, sparking debates about the modernisation of railway signalling systems to prevent such incidents in the future.
A fire broke out in the Lucknow-Rameshwaram Bharat Gaurav train on August 25, 2023. Nine people died, and 20 passengers were injured. Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire was triggered by a gas cylinder passengers smuggled inside the coach for cooking. Passengers from Uttar Pradesh, travelling on a special IRCTC train, perished when a fire engulfed two coaches of the Bharat Gaurav tourist train near Bodi Lane, approximately a kilometer from Madurai Railway Junction.
On July 7, 2023, three coaches of the Falaknuma Express to Howrah caught fire between Bommaipally and Pagidipally in Telangana. No one was injured. The railway authorities' prompt response in evacuating the passengers helped prevent a major disaster. However, the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, stressing the need for improved fire safety measures on trains.
The last coach of the four-coach Nilgiri Mountain Railway train heading from Ooty to Mettupalayam derailed near Coonoor station on June 8, 2023. There were no injuries or casualties, but the incident raised concerns about the safety of heritage trains operating on challenging terrains.
A coach of the Vijayawada-Chennai Central Jan Shatabdi Express derailed near Basin Bridge station near Chennai on June 9, 2023. No one was injured. The accident highlighted the potential risks in daily railway operations and the importance of regular maintenance and inspections.
On July 7, 2023, three coaches of the Falaknuma Express to Howrah caught fire between Bommaipally and Pagidipally in Telangana. No one was injured. The prompt response by the railway authorities in evacuating the passengers helped prevent a major disaster. However, the cause of the fire remains under investigation, stressing the need for improved fire safety measures on trains.
A coach of the Vijayawada-Chennai Central Jan Shatabdi Express derailed near Basin Bridge station on June 9, 2023. The derailment was a reminder of the potential risks in daily railway operations and the importance of regular maintenance and inspections.
