Mumbai, May 4 – At least 19 passengers were killed and more than 100 injured when the engine and four coaches of a passenger train derailed in Raigad in Maharashtra on Sunday, Home Minister R.R. Patil said.
“Eighteen lives have been lost in the tragedy,” Patil told IANS after visiting the accident site.
He said the derailment may have occurred due to technical problems. “We are giving all possible help to the victims’ families and providing medical attention to the injured.”
The accident occurred just outside a tunnel near Nidi village, when the engine and four out of 20 bogies of Diwa-Sawantwadi passenger train derailed at around 10 am between Nagothane and Roha railway stations, about 120 kms from Mumbai.
Rescue operations were going on, police said, adding that workers were trying to extricate people trapped under bogies that overturned after derailment.
The injured were rushed to hospitals in Nagothane and Roha in Raigad district.
Konkan railway route services suspended
Following the mishap, services on Konkan Railway route were suspended. Last month too, a goods train derailed on the route, affecting services.
The injured passengers are being rushed to Roha for medical treatment, police said.
Railways ordered an inquiry and Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge announced an ex-gratia of Rs.two lakh for those killed in the accident, Rs.50,000 for the grievously hurt and Rs.10,000 for passengers who suffered minor injuries.
Railway Board chairman Arunendra Kumar said Commissioner, Railway Safety, Chetan Bakshi will conduct the inquiry and has rushed to the site.
Central Railway officials said relief and rescue trains were sent to the accident site from Thane and Mumbai. Work was on to remove the derailed bogies and engine to clear the tracks.
Passenger and goods trains traffic on the Konkan Railway network has been paralysed, an official spokesperson said in Mumbai.
Several long distance trains on Konkan and Central rail network have been cancelled, terminated ahead of destination or diverted.
Konkan Railway has made arrangements for special buses to ferry thousands of passengers, mostly vacationers either bound to and from Goa and Kerala, to reach various destinations.
Mumbai – Goa highway jammed with traffic
Meanwhile, massive traffic snarls were reported at various points on the usually busy Mumbai-Goa highway following the derailment.
Many of the stranded passengers complained that there were no alternate forms of transport available and that private buses, cabs and autos fleeced them.
The chairman along with advisor, Health, B.B. Agarawal are also visiting the accident site.
Railways has also started two helpline– Thane — 022-25334840 and Panwel–022-27468.
-India Today
