19 killed, 160 injured as passenger train derails on Konkan route in Maharashtra
Mumbai: Nineteen passengers died and 160 were injured after four coaches and the engine of a passenger train derailed between Nagothane and Roha stations in Maharashtra’s Raigad district at 9.40 am on Sunday. The accident occurred just outside a tunnel near Nidi village when the engine and four of the 20 bogies of the Diwa-Sawantwadi passenger train derailed about 136 km from Mumbai.
Rescue operations underway after a passenger train derailed in Nagothane of Raigad district on Sunday (Photo: PTI)
The train was only one station away from entering Konkan Railway, which begins after Roha. A senior Central Railway (CR) official said, “Two of the coaches have been brought back on track but the other two have been damaged beyond repair and we will have to dispose them off.”
This is the second derailment on the route. Six coaches of a local train from Kasara to CST had derailed on March 20, leaving one dead and 16 hurt.
The death toll rose as more bodies and injured persons were found trapped when the overturned bogies were being removed, a police official said.
Central Railways DRM Mukesh Nigam said, “We do not know what was the reason behind the derailment even prima facie as there are many things that might have gone wrong and we are just trying to clear the line in order to operate trains again.”
Most of the deceased were taken to Nagothane Gramin Hospital and the injured to Roha Civil Hospital as well as Sion Hospital in Mumbai.
A damaged compartment at the site of the accident (Photo: PTI)
Railway minister Mallikarjun Kharge has announced a compensations of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased, Rs 50,000 to those grievously injured and Rs 10,000 to those who sustained minor injuries.
Maharashtra home minister R.R. Patil as well as Railway Board chairman Arunendra Kumar visited the accident site.
Due to the incident, four trains have been cancelled - the Mumbai-Konkankanya Express leaving Madgaon on Sunday, the Dadar-Rajyarani Express leaving Sawantwadi Road on Sunday, the Dadar-Janshatabdi Express leaving Madgaon on Sunday and the Madgaon-Mandovi Express leaving Mumbai on Monday. Rail helpline numbers are as follows, CST: 022-22694090, Dadar 022-24114836, Thane: 022-25334840, Panvel: 27468833, Ratnagiri: 02352-228176/228951/228954, Belapur CBD: 022-27561721.
Railway Board Chairman Arunendra Kumar said Commissioner, Railway Safety, Chetan Bakshi will conduct the inquiry and has rushed to the site. The Chairman, along with Advisor, Health, B B Agarawal is also visiting the accident site.
For the convenience of passengers, Konkan Railway has arranged for state transport buses from Konkan region to be diverted via various Konkan Railway stations on the way to Mumbai.
Those passengers who have a valid train ticket for the cancelled/ diverted/short terminated trains, can travel by these buses towards Mumbai. Passengers are not required to pay anything for the bus journey, railway authorities said.
Refund is being paid by Konkan Railway at its various stations for those passengers who would like to cancel their journey, they said.
