Train services along the Chennai-Howrah route, which had been disrupted for over 18 hours due to a collision between two passenger trains in Andhra Pradesh’s Vizianagaram district, have finally resumed. The collision occurred on Sunday night, leading to the cancellation of more than 50 trains and diversions for several others.
The accident transpired when the Visakhapatnam-Rayagada Passenger special train rear-ended the Visakhapatnam-Palasa Passenger Express at approximately 7:10 pm on Sunday, resulting in the derailment of multiple coaches. This tragic incident unfolded between the Kantakapalle and Alamanda railway stations in Andhra Pradesh.
According to railway authorities, the collision claimed the lives of 13 individuals, with over 50 sustaining injuries. Subsequently, extensive restoration work was undertaken to repair the affected lines.
Biswajit Sahu, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of East Coast Railway, stated, “Both the up and down lines of the track have been made fit in terms of engineering (track repair work) and OHE (electrical work). A goods train was allowed to run on the down line while the Bengaluru-bound Prashanti Express passed through the accident-affected line. We hope train services will get normalized gradually.”
Over 800 individuals were involved in the challenging restoration efforts, utilizing heavy equipment such as eight Poclain machines and a 140-tonne crane. Team from the National Disaster Response Force collaborated in the rescue and restoration operations.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) arrived at the accident site to initiate a thorough investigation into the incident. Preliminary findings indicate that the driver of the Rayagada-bound train, which rear-ended the other train, missed a signal, leading officials to attribute the collision to “human error.”
Expressing deep concern over the recurring train collisions, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to establish a high-level committee to comprehensively investigate various aspects related to such incidents.
