- By Nidhi Giri
- Sat, 12 Oct 2024 03:57 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
As many as 19 passengers sustained injuries after the Mysore-Darbhanga Bagmati Express, a passenger train travelling at 75 km per hour rammed into a stationary goods train at Kavaraippettai Railway Station near Tamil Nadu's Chennai on Friday evening. The collision was caused after an alleged mismatch between the route and signal, as per RN Singh, General Manager of Southern Railways. He said that the passenger train was not supposed to enter the loop line where a goods train was stationed adding that despite having a green signal for the main line, the train entered the loop line and hit the goods train from behind, causing the derailment of its 12 coaches. However, no casualties were reported.
#WATCH | Tamil Nadu: Latest drone visuals from Chennai-Guddur section between Ponneri- Kavarappettai railway stations (46 km from Chennai) of Chennai Division where Train no. 12578 Mysuru-Darbhanga Express had a rear collision with a goods train, last evening.
— ANI (@ANI) October 12, 2024
12-13 coaches… pic.twitter.com/F7kp7bgLdV
“The passenger train was supposed to pass via the main line…But despite having signals for the main line the train entered the loop line. It hit the goods train from behind and because of this engine derailed. The pilot and loco pilot are hale and hearty. Fortunately, there was no death. The injured were immediately moved to the nearby hospital,” he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
He added that the reasons behind this accident are a matter of investigation and the Railway Safety Commissioner will ascertain the exact reasons.
The accident led to 12 coaches being derailed and 19 people injured; over 1,300 passengers were on the express train. A power car also caught fire. Fortunately no deaths have been reported so far and the injured are receiving treatment at state-run hospitals. The other - now stranded - passengers were taken via buses to state capital Chennai and accommodated on a special train to their respective destinations. The derailment took place around 40 km from Chennai.
As a result of the derailment and ongoing repair work multiple trains have been cancelled or diverted; at least 18 trains scheduled for the day have been cancelled.
A high-level inquiry has been ordered, while Chief Minister MK Stalin has expressed shock and asked for rescue operations to be sped up. Officials have said restoration could take up to 24 hours, i.e., till Saturday evening.
What Prevented Fatalities? All About Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) Coaches
The Darbhanga-bound Bagmati Express reportedly had Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches, a technologically advanced system designed to enhance safety, comfort, and efficiency in rail travel. It’s believed that fatalities were prevented due to the high-end coaches of the train.
Unlike traditional Integral Coach Factory (ICF) coaches, LHB coaches boast several cutting-edge features, including an anti-climbing arrangement, air suspension (secondary) with a failure indication system, and a less corrosive shell.
The Indian Railways manufactured over 31,000 LHB coaches in the past nine years, marking a significant stride towards modernisation, claimed a report published in November 2023.
These coaches are currently being manufactured at three prominent production facilities: Rail Coach Factory (RCF-Kapurthala), Integral Coach Factory (ICF-Chennai), and Modern Coach Factory (MCF-Rai Bareli). The Indian Railways aims to equip the majority of trains with LHB coaches in the coming times.