On Sunday morning in Punjab, on June 2, a goods train collided with a parked goods train close to Sirhind railway station, injuring two loco pilots. The event happened close to the Madhopur neighborhood at around 4 am in the morning, according to the officials.
“The engine of one of them flipped over to another track and hit a passenger train,” he added.
In the video posted by ANI on its official X, it can be seen that the collision was massive, and trains got off track. Damage is caused to both the trains.
Statement Of The Officials
There was no loss of life but loco pilots Vikas Kumar and Himanshu Kumar were injured, the official said.
A Fatehgarh Sahib Civil Hospital doctor said Vikas Kumar suffered injuries to his head and Himanshu Kumar to his back. They were referred to the Rajindra Hospital in Patiala, the doctor added.
In the meantime, the event has affected train movement. Trains from Rajpura, Patiala, and Dhuri are being rerouted, according to railway officials.
In another incident earlier this week, six goods wagons and a brake and guard van derailed at Palghar railway station, possibly because of a rail fracture. According to the police, the incident took place around 5 pm when a goods train carrying steel coils towards Mumbai derailed near the crossing point of the main rail line and loop line at Palghar railway station.
This incident is reminiscent of another train crash that happened exactly one year earlier, on June 2, 2023, in Balasore district, Odisha. The Howrah-bound Coromandel Express collided with a stationary goods train, resulting in severe damage and the derailment of most of its coaches.
Likewise, in October last year, two passenger trains collided on the Howrah–Chennai main line. The Visakhapatnam-Palasa Express service train stopped due to a break in an overhead cable. It was then hit by an oncoming passenger train traveling from Visakhapatnam to Rayagada in Odisha
Kavach for Railways
Kavach is a domestically developed train collision avoidance system designed to prevent accidents caused by human errors such as disregarding red signals and speeding. Engineered to halt locomotives approaching within 380 meters of each other, the system aims to significantly improve railway safety. However, it’s important to note that the specific section where the accident occurred was not equipped with the Kavach system.
It’s essential to ensure the safety of both passengers and railway staff, and incidents like this highlight the need for continuous vigilance and maintenance in the rail network.
Train collisions in India are a common occurrence due to various reasons such as human error, poor infrastructure, and inadequate safety measures.
According to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), there were over 15,000 train accidents in the country in 2019. These accidents resulted in the death of over 4,000 people and injuries to more than 1.5 lakh people.
The Indian government has taken several measures to prevent train collisions, including the implementation of advanced safety technologies and the establishment of a dedicated railway safety authority. However, the issue remains a major concern, and efforts are ongoing to improve the safety of train travel in India.
