RANCHI: A goods train heading towards Purulia on the down line derailed near Pitaki gate, about 200 meters away from the station, and fell away over the up line.
Another goods train, coming on the up line, collided with it; the collision was so intense that a total of 21 wagons derailed, out of which two fell on the roadside.
According to local sources, the accident took place at 4:15 am near pole number 375/22 near Chandil railway station in Jharkhand on Saturday morning.
Initial reports suggest that the crash was caused by a technical fault and a signal failure.
As soon as the information about the accident reached the railway officials, they rushed to the spot and started investigating the matter.
Work is going on war footing to restore the railway track. Railway administration said that efforts are being made to restore the operation as soon as possible.
The intensity of the collision could be gauged from the fact that the wheels of the train broke and fell far away, and the railway tracks were damaged for about 200 meters in the accident.
Due to the accident, train services have been disrupted on Chandil–Tatanagar, Chandil–Muri, and Chandil–Purulia–Bokaro routes.
Many passengers remain stranded at various stations, while the route of some trains has been changed. Alternative transport is being arranged for the passengers who are affected.
Due to the accident, many trains leaving from Tatanagar railway station have been cancelled. These include important trains like Tata-Patna Vande Bharat Express, Tata-Buxar Superfast Express, and Tata-Dhanbad Swarnarekha Express.
Apart from this, the routes of some long-distance trains like Purushottam Express and Anand Vihar Express have also been changed.