BHUBANESWAR/JAJPUR : A goods train crashed into Korai railway station in Jajpur district killing three persons - all of them women - in the early hours of Monday. The mishap crippled train traffic movement along the busy Howrah-Chennai route before one line could be reopened for operation about 12 hours later.
So intense was the mishap that 14 wagons of the freight train derailed, ramming into the foot-over bridge, almost reaching up to its roof. Eight of the wagons hurtled into the waiting area of the station and then headed to the ticket counter, damaging the railway station building in the process.
A small crowd of passengers, waiting to catch a morning train, watched with horror as the speeding goods train jumped the tracks and headed right into them. The three who lost their lives were identified as 55-year-old Parbati Bindhani, her daughter Kandhei Bindhani and Abujan Bibi (47). Four others who suffered injuries were hospitalized and are receiving treatment.
Even as the reasons behind the derailment were being ascertained, the Railways ordered an independent probe by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) working under the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The freight train was heading from Dongoaposi to Chhatrapur when it derailed at around 6.44 am at Korai which falls in the Bhadrak-Kapilash railway section of Khurda Road Division. The train, according to ECoR sources, was moving at a speed of 60 km to 70 km per hour.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh to each of the next of kin of the deceased and sent Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Pramila Mallik to the spot to take stock of the situation. Railways Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the accident. The Minister also announced Rs 1 lakh will be given towards grievous injury and Rs 25,000 for simple injury. Union Minister for Education and Skill Development Dharmendra Pradhan expressed condolences for the deceased.
Goods train crashes into Korai station, three dead
Jajpur Police led by SP Rahul PR, firefighters and ODRAF teams assisted the railways in rescue and relief after the incident, while ECoR general manager Roop Narayan Sunkar and divisional railway manager (DRM) of Khurda Road Division Rinkesh Roy rushed to the site to monitor relief and restoration work.
All the derailed wagons could be cleared from both tracks by 6.30pm but the down line was thrown open for operation only after 8.45 pm. The other line is expected to be restored by Tuesday morning, said Chief Public Relations Officer Biswajit Sahu. Apart from the CRS probe, an eight-member team of technical experts headed by ECoR chief safety officer PC Sahu also began a probe into the incident.
“The team reached the site and started its investigation to ascertain the exact cause of the incident,” Khurda Road DRM Ray said. The dreadful incident brought train services to halt on the Kharagpur-Khurda road stretch of 1,661 km-long Howrah-Chennai main line for over 12 hours.
As many as 15 trains were cancelled, while another six were partially cancelled on the day. ECoR also diverted 21 more trains including Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express and Bangalore-Howrah Duronto Express. As many as 210 passengers stranded at Haridaspur station were accommodated in Hyderabad-Shalimar East Coast Express, while others were provided road transportation to help reach their destination. Stranded passengers were provided with food and water.
“Since the main line was hit, we used alternative routes through Sambalpur and Keonjhar to divert long-distance trains,” said a senior officer. Help desks were created at Korai station with the helpline number 8455889905, while emergency help centres were also activated at Bhubaneswar and Khurda road stations to assist stranded passengers.
Train derailments in 2022
February 9, 2022 - The wagon of iron-ore-laden goods train from Nayagarh to Hubli in Karnataka derails
August 23, 2022 - Five coaches of a goods train derail near Bhubaneswar railway station affecting traffic on the Bhubaneswar-Kolkata route
September 12, 2022 - Four coaches of the Visakhapatnam-Kirandul passenger special train derail between Jeypore and Chatriput stations in Koraput
September 17, 2022 - Howrah-Bhubaneswar Jan Shatabdi Express derails at the level crossing near Bhadrak Station Yard after hitting a bull
October 22, 2022 - Three coaches of the Puri-Howrah express derails near Malatipatapur station near Puri