In Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvallur district, a significant railway accident occurred when the Mysuru-Darbhanga Bagmati Express collided with a stationary goods train, causing 12 coaches to derail and injuring 19 passengers. The mishap was attributed to a “mismatch between signal and route,” as explained by RN Singh, General Manager of Southern Railways. The passenger train, traveling at 75 km/h, mistakenly entered a loop line, designated for the goods train, instead of continuing on the main line. This error led to the collision, resulting in the engine’s derailment and a power car catching fire.
The express train, en route to Gudur in Andhra Pradesh, had briefly halted at Kavaraippettai Station before the collision. The goods train was also bound for Gudur and had been parked on the loop line. Despite the express being scheduled to pass through the main line, it inadvertently switched to the wrong track and hit the goods train from behind. Fortunately, there were no fatalities, but 19 injured passengers were treated in state hospitals. Over 1,300 passengers were on board, and those stranded were transported to Chennai via buses, with a special train arranged for their onward journeys.
The derailment, occurring about 40 km from Chennai, caused significant disruption to rail services, leading to the cancellation or diversion of at least 18 trains. A high-level investigation, led by the Railway Safety Commissioner, has been ordered to determine the cause of the mishap, with restoration efforts expected to take up to 24 hours. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin expressed his concern and called for swift rescue operations.
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