Bilaspur: Hours after a local passenger train collided with a goods train near Bilaspur station in Chhattisgarh, claiming at least seven lives, the Railway Board on Tuesday, November 4, said the accident took place as the passenger train seems to have overshot a red signal.
The collision took place around 4 pm when the MEMU (mainline electric multiple unit) train was heading to Bilaspur from Gevra in neighbouring Korba district, railway officials said, adding it rammed into the goods train from behind between Gatora and Bilaspur stations.
“Passing Signal at Danger by MEMU train seems to be the reason in the preliminary assessment by railway authorities,” a press note from the Railway Board stated.
“An unfortunate incident involving a collision between a goods train and a MEMU local train occurred near Bilaspur railway station today. The Railway Administration has taken swift action to initiate relief and rescue operations on a war footing,” the press note said.
The accident disrupted train operations on the route. Many trains running on the Howrah-Mumbai section have been rescheduled.
Emergency numbers
The railway authorities are providing all possible assistance and coordination to the affected passengers.
- Bilaspur – 7777857335, 7869953330
- Champa – 8085956528
- Raigarh – 9752485600
- Pendra Road – 8294730162
- Korba – 7869953330
- Uslapur – 7777857338
The railway authorities have moved all the resources at the spot, and all measures are being taken to treat the injured persons, they said.
Seven dead, 14 injured
At least seven persons were killed and 14 were injured after a passenger train collided with a goods train from behind near Bilaspur station in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday, November 4, railway officials said.
The injured passengers have been shifted to Apollo Hospital and Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS) hospital in Bilaspur. The condition of one of them is said to be critical, he added.
He, however, did not confirm the exact number of the injured persons.
The railway authorities have mobilised all resources at the spot, and required measures are being taken for the treatment of the injured persons, the officials said.
The visuals show a coach of the passenger train mounted onto a wagon of the goods train.
Compensation of Rs 10 lakh announced for kin of deceased
Meanwhile, the railway authorities have announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the kin of the deceased and Rs 5 lakh to the seriously injured persons, while those who sustained minor injuries will receive Rs 1 lakh assistance, an official statement said.
A detailed inquiry into the incident will be conducted at the level of the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) to ascertain the cause and recommend necessary corrective measures, it said.
Relief and rescue operations have been launched on a war footing by the railway administration. Senior officials have rushed to the site to monitor the situation, and the injured have been shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment, it said.
CM Vishnu, Neveen Patnaik express grief
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed grief over the accident and said that the state government stands in full solidarity with the affected families.
The CM spoke over the phone with the Bilaspur District Collector, seeking detailed information about the incident and directing officials to provide all possible assistance to those affected, an official statement said.
He instructed that immediate medical aid be ensured for the injured and that every possible support be extended to the affected families, it said.
In a post on ‘X’, Sai said, teams from the railway machinery and the district administration have immediately reached the spot and are engaged in relief and rescue operations.
All necessary medical facilities and resources are being made available for the treatment of the injured. The state government has been closely monitoring the situation with complete promptness and sensitivity, he said.
Leader of Opposition and BJD president Naveen Patnaik said he was deeply saddened to know about the loss of precious lives in the train accident in Chhattisgarh.
“My thoughts and prayers are with the grieving families who lost their near and dear ones. Prayer for the early rescue of those who are trapped under debris and swift recovery of those who have sustained injuries,” the former chief minister wrote on X.
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