In the third train derailment within a month in Uttar Pradesh, seven coaches of the Howrah-Jabalpur Shaktipunj Express derailed near Fafrakund railway station in Sonbhadra, 80 kilometers from Varanasi.
“The accident occurred at around 6.25 am and we have already cleared out the site,” Railway ministry spokesperson Anil Saxena said.
In the third train derailment within a month in Uttar Pradesh, seven coaches of the Howrah-Jabalpur Shaktipunj Express derailed near Fafrakund railway station in Sonbhadra, 80 kilometers from Varanasi.
“The accident occurred at around 6.25 am and we have already cleared out the site,” Railway ministry spokesperson Anil Saxena said.
“All passengers were put on the remaining coaches and by 7.28 am, all of them had left the spot. All of them are safe and no one was injured in the accident,” he said. The train was running at a speed of about 40 km/hr which officials say prevented any injuries when the incident occurred. The train, which has a daily service, passes through the country’s chief mining zones in Jharkhand.
Just a few weeks ago, on 19 August, 14 coaches of the Puri-Haridwar Utkal Express derailed in Khatauli, leaving at least 24 people dead and 40 injured.
The impact of the accident was so severe that one of the coaches could be seen mounted on another while another coach had crashed into a building along the tracks.
The then railway minister Suresh Prabhu had announced an ex-gratia of Rs 3.5 lakh each to the kin of those who lost their lives and Rs 50,000 each for those seriously injured. He had also announced Rs 25,000 for passengers with minor injuries.
A few days after the tragedy, on 23 August, nine coaches of the Delhi-bound Kaifiyat Express derailed in Auraiya district of Uttar Pradesh after the train collided with a dumper.
The train travelling from Azamgarh to Delhi collided with a dumper at around 2:50 am on that day between Pata and Achhalda railway stations. One bogie of the train overturned due to impact of the collision and some compartments jumped the rails between Acchalda and Pata railway stations after crossing Kanpur.
Over 74 people were injured because of the derailment.
On 3 September, a beleaguered Prabhu — who had taken the “moral responsibility” for a recent spate of train accidents — bade farewell to the railway ministry and moved on to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, after Piyush Goyal was given charge of the crucial portfolio which runs the transport behemoth.
Prabhu was not attending his Rail Bhavan office since 23 August. He was also not attending any function of the ministry since then.
When Goyal took over as the new railway minister, he had praised Prabhu. “It is a very emotional day for me. (Prabhu) has been mentoring me, directing me and taking care of me for the past 20 years. From time to time we have had the chance to work together,” he had said.
