BHUBANESWAR: At least one passenger died, and 15 others were injured after 11 coaches of the 12551 Bengaluru Kamakhya AC Superfast Express derailed near Nergundi station in Odisha's Cuttack district on Sunday.
Sources said the coaches went off the track at around 11:54 am, shortly after the train crossed the Mahanadi river. All air-conditioned coaches derailed, possibly due to issues with the track. A major mishap was averted as the train was moving slowly, the sources said.
Local police, fire services personnel, and NDRF teams rushed to the spot for the rescue operation. Injured passengers, including some patients returning from Bengaluru to Kamakhya, were shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.
The deceased, identified as Suvankar Roy (22), was from Alipur, Kolkata. Of the 15 injured, 12 were discharged after receiving preliminary treatment. Among the three others still undergoing treatment, including a woman, one is in critical condition.
Subash Chandra Ray, the administrative officer of SCB MCH, said, 'Three teams of doctors have been engaged to treat the injured passengers who arrived at the hospital,' he told the media.
This accident occurred nearly two years after the tragic train disaster involving three trains at Bahanaga in Balasore district, which left over 290 dead and 1,000 injured.
ECoR Chief Public Relations Officer Ashok Mishra said adequate arrangements had been made at the accident site for the stranded passengers. 'A special train was arranged to send stranded passengers to their respective destinations. The railways paid an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of the deceased, Rs 2.5 lakh to the grievously injured passenger, and Rs 50,000 each to the other two injured passengers undergoing treatment,' he said.
As train services were affected on the downline, 21 trains were diverted via the Barang-Naraj-Kapilas Road instead of the usual Barang-Cuttack-Nergundi route. Three trains bypassed Cuttack-Nergundi and ran via the Barang-Naraj route. 'Efforts are underway to restore normalcy to the affected routes as soon as possible. Safety protocols have been strictly followed during the rescue operations,' Mishra said.
Meanwhile, Indian Railways has ordered a probe into the incident. The Commissioner of Railway Safety (South Eastern Circle), Brijesh Mishra, has arrived to conduct the inquiry
A passenger, who was on his way to Assam, said he heard a loud noise, following which he saw the coaches getting derailed. One person standing near the gate sustained injuries. A major tragedy was averted as the speed of the train was below 30 km/h, he said.
Passengers complained about inadequate arrangements by the railways and the district administration, as the heatwave conditions affected the rescue operations.
Later, locals and officials provided drinking water and food to some stranded passengers. Six buses have also been arranged for the passengers.
Meanwhile, ECoR has issued helplines to assist stranded passengers. They have been advised to contact the Bhubaneswar helpline at 8455885999 and the Cuttack helpline at 8991124238.
Helpdesks opened for passengers:
Bhubaneswar - 8114382371
Bhadrak -9437443469
Cuttack – 7205149591
Palasa – 9237105480
Jajpur Keonjhar Road – 9124639558
Assam CM reacts
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said his office is in touch with the Odisha government following the train accident in the coastal state.
"I am aware of the incident involving 12551 Kamakhya Express in Odisha. @CMOfficeAssam is in touch with the Odisha Government and Railways. We will reach out to each and every person who is affected," Sarma said in a post on X.
In an update, he also noted that there were no casualities from Assam.