Following the collision between the 13174 Down Agartala-Sealdah Kanchanjungha Express and a Goods train carrying containers near Raninagar and Chaterhat station under the Katihar division of N.F. Railway today, railway authorities have rerouted 19 trains via the New Jalpaiguri, Siliguri Junction, Bagdogra, and Aluabari Road route. The Kanchanjungha Express, which departed from Agartala on 16 June, was struck from behind in the incident.
The list of diverted trains includes:
19602 New Jalpaiguri Udaipur City Weekly Express (17.06.24)
20503 Dibrugarh-New Delhi Rajdhani Express (16.06.24)
12423 Dibrugarh-New Delhi Rajdhani Express (16.06.24)
11666 Agartala-Rani Kamlapati Special train (16.06.24)
12377 Sealdah-New Alipurduar Padatik Express (16.06.24)
06105 Nagercoil-Dibrugarh Special (14.06.24)
20506 New Delhi-Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express (16.06.24)
12424 New Delhi-Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express (16.06.24)
22301 Howrah-New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express (17.06.24)
12345 Guwahati-Howrah Saraighat Express (17.06.28)
12505 Kamakhya-Anand Vihar Northeast Express (17.06.24)
12510 Guwahati-Bengaluru Express (17.06.24)
22302 New Jalpaiguri-Howrah Vande Bharat Express (17.06.24)
15620 Kamakhya Gaya Express (17.06.24)
15562 Dibrugarh-Howrah Kamrup Express (17.06.24)
15536 Guwahati-Okha Express (17.06.24)
15930 New Tinsukia-Tambaram Express (17.06.24)
13148 Bamanhat-Sealdah Uttar Bangs Express (17.06.24)
22504 Dibrugarh-Kanyakumari Express (17.06.24)
The collision occurred approximately 10 km from New Jalpaiguri station at around 08:55 hrs.
Upon receiving the distressing news, an Accident Relief Medical team, along with necessary personnel and equipment, swiftly mobilized towards the site. Senior officials from New Jalpaiguri and Katihar also promptly arrived to oversee rescue and relief efforts. General Manager of N.F. Railway, Shri Chetan Kr. Shrivastava, and other senior officials departed from Maligaon by train to assess the situation firsthand. Railway Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw has also departed from Delhi to personally oversee operations at the accident site.
As a consequence of the collision, 4 coaches from the rear section of the Kanchanjungha Express and 5 wagons of the container train derailed, obstructing movement on both Up and Down lines. Tragically, the incident claimed the lives of 8 individuals, while approximately 25 others sustained injuries. Immediate medical assistance is being provided to all injured persons, with efforts underway to stabilize their conditions.
Despite the disruption, the unaffected portion of the Kanchanjungha Express has been cleared to continue its journey. Passengers aboard the affected train were promptly provided with food packets and water bottles to mitigate any inconvenience.
To assist passengers and concerned individuals, helpline numbers have been disseminated across all key stations along the affected route. Investigations into the cause of the collision are ongoing, as authorities work tirelessly to restore normalcy to rail operations in the region.
