KANPUR: Over 50 passengers were injured, a few critically, when a dozen coaches of the Howrah-New Delhi Poorva Express derailed near the Rooma Railway station under the Maharajpur police station, in Kanpur in the wee hours on Saturday.
Though four coaches overturned, no casualty was reported from the site of derailment.
The train was on its way to Delhi when the coaches — A1, A2, HA1, S8, S9, B1-B5, an SLR and the pantry car — jumped off the track. “At 12.50 am, 12 coaches of the train derailed, and the up and down line was affected because of that. No casualty was reported. The first few coaches that did not derail were brought to Kanpur Central. All the passengers were sent to Delhi via a special train at 5.45 am,” the North-Central Railways said in a statement.
According to SP (Rural) Kanpur Pradyumna Singh, loose couplings seemed to be the prima facie cause of derailment. The Railways have ordered a probe to look into the reasons of the mishap.
Kanpur district and police officials, including Kanpur DM Vijay Vishwas Pant, were present at the spot for the relief and rescue operation. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was pressed into action to rescue the injured people. Around 1,000 passengers were sent from Kanpur Central to Delhi in batches through special trains. For further assistance and queries, the Railways has issued helpline numbers: 1072, 9454403738, 9454401463, 9454401075, 9454400384 and 0512-23333111/112/113.
“The administration, police and the locals, who were the first responders, have done a wonderful job by rushing the victims to hospitals in a short span of time after a such a major accident,” an official of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) told reporters.
Recounting the incident, a passenger said there was a loud sound and everyone fell off their seats.
General Manager of the North Central Railway Rajiv Chaudhary said an inquiry was ordered in this connection which would be conducted by the Commissioner of Railway Safety, A K Jain. He said a special train comprising 14 coaches with 900 passengers of Poorva Express left for New Delhi around 5.45 am while another train of 10 coaches left around 7.50 am with the remaining passengers.
As many as 28 trains were diverted and 16 cancelled because of the derailment.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the officials to extend all possible help to those affected and ensure that proper medical treatment is provided to them. Kanpur District Magistrate Vijay Vishwas Pant said barring three people, others have been discharged from hospital.
Three people are undergoing treatment at two hospitals.
The district magistrate, senior superintendent of police and other senior officials reached the spot.