Rescue personnel had to toil for hours, cutting through the mangled coach of the passenger train, as several bodies were badly trapped in the wreckage, a railway official said. Photo: PTI
Chhattisgarh train collision death toll rises to 11 in Bilaspur
Passenger train rammed into stationary goods train near Bilaspur after overshooting red signal; 20 injured, inquiry ordered, compensation announced
The death toll in the collision of a passenger train with a goods train near Bilaspur railway station in Chhattisgarh has gone up to 11, officials said on Wednesday (November 5).
Rescue personnel had to toil for hours, cutting through the mangled coach of the passenger train, as several bodies were badly trapped in the wreckage, a railway official said.
The incident occurred around 4 pm on Tuesday (November 4) when the MEMU (mainline electric multiple unit) passenger train was heading to Bilaspur from Gevra (in neighbouring Korba district).
The affected line was restored on Wednesday morning, the officials said.
"Eleven persons, including six women, have lost their lives, and 20 others were injured in the accident," a statement issued by the Railways said.
Relief and rescue operations
After the incident, the railway administration immediately launched relief and rescue operations. The injured persons were being provided with proper medical treatment at nearby hospitals, it added.
The impact of the collision was so severe that a coach of the passenger train ended up on top of a wagon of the cargo train, the railway officials said.
Also Read: Eight dead, 14 injured as passenger, goods trains collide in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh
The rescue and restoration work on the affected line was completed by 5.30 am on Wednesday, facilitating the train movement, they said.
The injured passengers have been shifted to Apollo Hospital and Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS) in Bilaspur.
6 dead yet to be identified
Of the 11 deceased, five have been identified as passenger train local pilot Vidya Sagar (53), Lovkush Shukla (41), Ranjeet Prabhakar (in his early 40s), Shila Yadav (25) and Priya Chandra (21), the officials said.
Four women and two men among the deceased are yet to be identified, they said.
The 20 injured include nine women and a 2-year-old boy. Assistant loco pilot of the passenger train, Rashmi Raj (34), train manager (guard) Ashok Kumar Dixit (54), and guard of the goods train Shailesh Chadra (49) were among those hospitalised, according to the officials.
Also Read: 6 dead after being hit by incoming train while alighting on wrong side at station in UP
Those injured in the incident have been provided with an ex-gratia of Rs 50,000 each as an advance relief amount, an official statement said.
The railway administration maintained continuous contact with hospitals and ensured medical treatment, transportation, and necessary support for each affected person, it said.
Senior railway officials were monitoring the situation and taking all necessary steps to ensure the speedy recovery of the injured, it added.
‘Jumped red signal’
"The passenger train hit the stationary goods train from behind at a speed of 60 to 70 kmph after overshooting a red signal," a senior railway official said.
"It is now a matter of investigation as to why the loco pilot jumped the red signal and failed to apply the emergency brakes in time, even though the goods train was within visible distance," the official said.
Also Read: Chevella accident: Why tippers have become 'licensed killers' on highways
The passenger train rammed into the brake van with such force that it was badly mangled. After the collision, half motor coach of the passenger train climbed onto the wagon next to the brake van, the official said.
The manager (guard) of the goods train jumped out of the brake van - the last coach of the goods train - at the last moment and sustained minor injuries, the official added.
Compensation announced
The railway authorities announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the kin of the deceased and Rs 5 lakh to the seriously injured persons, while those who sustained minor injuries will receive Rs 1 lakh assistance, an official statement said.
A detailed inquiry into the incident will be conducted at the level of the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) to ascertain the cause and recommend necessary corrective measures, it said.
Also Read: Kurnool bus fire exposes rampancy of out-of-state bus registrations
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed grief over the accident and announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of each of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each to the injured persons.
(With agency inputs)