In a tragic incident on Monday, the Kanchanjunga Express was hit from behind by a goods train in Bengal’s Siliguri, resulting in the deaths of nine people and injuries to several others. As a result, several trains have been cancelled or diverted.
Despite the accident, the Kanchanjunga Express reached its destination at Kolkata’s Sealdah at 3:16 am on Tuesday after undergoing restoration work. The damaged compartments of the train remain at the crash site where repair work is ongoing to remove the debris. Train services have resumed from the Phansidewa area in Darjeeling district, with the Kamakhya Express seen passing on an adjacent line.
Initially, the Railway Board attributed the collision to the goods train driver overshooting the signal. However, internal documents revealed that the automatic signalling system in the area had not been functioning since Monday morning, and the driver had been cleared to cross red signals.
Latest Developments:
– Surviving passengers were seen in distress as the Kanchanjunga Express reached Sealdah early Tuesday. Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim was present to console them.
– Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, visiting injured passengers at North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri, criticized the Centre for neglecting the Railways, emphasizing the importance of the anti-collision device initiated during her tenure as Railways Minister.
– Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar dismissed Banerjee’s remarks, stating this is not the time for politics.
– Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Katihar, Subhendu Kumar Choudhary, reported ongoing restoration work at the crash site, expecting normal operations to resume soon.
– Divisional Railway Manager Sealdah, Deepak Nigam, ensured medical and support services for passengers at the station.
– Railway Board Chairperson Jaya Varma Sinha confirmed the collision was due to the goods train driver overshooting the signal, with minimal damage to passenger coaches.
– Sources disclosed that the goods train had been given written authority by the station master to cross all red signals due to the malfunctioning automatic signalling system.
Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, after visiting the accident site, announced that the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) had initiated an investigation into the accident’s cause. The Congress has demanded Ashwini Vaishnaw’s resignation, citing mismanagement within the ministry.
Financial aid has been announced: Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Additionally, Ashwini Vaishnaw announced Rs 10 lakh for families of the deceased, Rs 2.5 lakh for those grievously injured, and Rs 50,000 for those with minor injuries.
