2 freight trains collide in West Bengal, several bogies derail
As a result of the derailment, rail works on the Kharagpur-Bankura-Adra line have been halted.
West Bengal: Two freight trains collided at Bankura’s Onda station, resulting in the derailment of several carriages in the early hours of Sunday, as reported by ANI. As a result of the derailment, railway operations on the Kharagpur-Bankura-Adra line have been halted. The collision occurred when one of the freight trains hit the other from behind, derailing several cars of both trains. as reported by India today. A driver of one of the freight trains suffered minor injuries and no injuries were reported.
#WATCH | West Bengal: Two freight trains collided at Onda railway station in Bankura. Rail transport on the Kharagpur-Bankura-Adra line has been discontinued. More details were awaited. pic.twitter.com/T4sL5rn7Rp
— ANI (@ANI) June 25, 2023
According to the railway officials’ statement, both freight trains were empty and the cause of the collision has yet to be determined.
“Both were empty freight trains and the cause of the accident and how both trains collided is still not clear. The train services in Adra division have been affected by this accident. ADRA Division serves four districts of West Bengal viz. West Midnapore, Bankura, Purulia and Burdwan and three districts of Jharkhand namely Dhanbad, Bokaro and Singhbhum and it falls under the South Eastern Railway,” the statement said.
The South Eastern Railway has issued a notice saying that as many as 14 trains have been cancelled, while three have been diverted and 2 have been briefly terminated due to the derailment incident.
14 trains cancelled, 3 diverted and 2 terminated shortly due to the derailment of a freight train at Adra Division’s Ondagram station today: South Eastern Railway pic.twitter.com/qyjkDLdOb1
— ANI (@ANI) June 25, 2023
The railway authorities are working hard to restore the upline as soon as possible to facilitate the movement of trains, including the Purulia Express, through this section.
Notably, the derailment incident came after the tragic triple train collision in Odisha involving the Coromandel Express and two other trains, resulting in the loss of more than 270 lives.
The devastating incident took place on June 2 near Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore district. The collision involved a freight train, the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express and the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express.
(Remark: This is a developing story and further details are awaited.)