RailEnquiry

NAGPUR: It was a day of derailments in South East Central Railway (SECR) on Friday. While passengers of Howrah-Mumbai Mail had a close shave after two air-conditioned coaches derailed near Dongargarh, engine of a narrow gauge train derailed in Motibagh yard in another freak accident.

In the first incident, two bogies (B2 & B3) of the Mumbai-bound mail went off the track between Paniajob and Bortalao in Dongargarh-Gondia section. The incident occurred at 11.36am when the train was heading towards Gondia at 80 kmph.

The loco pilot VK Verma and guard RB Baisare immediately informed about the derailment following which relief and accident van was despatched from Gondia. Divisional railway manager (DRM) SL Verma, senior divisional commercial manager (SrDCM) Pradeep Kumar and other officials also rushed to the spot.

According to Kumar, both the coaches were detached at 2.45pm. A total of 86 passengers from the affected coaches were accommodated in sleeper class and the train started for Nagpur around 3.15pm, clearing the up line for traffic.

When the train reached Nagpur at 6.15pm, two air-conditioned coaches were added to it in which the 86 passengers were shifted again. The section where the mishap occurred is Naxal-infested but Kumar ruled out any sabotage.

"Prima facie it looks that some pieces of rail lying on the track must have hit the water tank of the air-conditioned coaches causing the derailment," said Kumar.

The incident delayed over four Nagpur-bound trains by around 3 to 4 hours. The ill-fated Howrah Mail was delayed by 4 hours followed by Howrah-Pune Azad Hind Express, Puri-Ahmedabad and Howrah-LTT Janeshwari Express. The Raigad-Gondia Janshatabdi Express was terminated at Dongargarh and sent back to Raigad.

DRM Verma has ordered a junior administrative grade inquiry in the derailment. The four-member inquiry team includes senior divisional safety officer (SrDSO), senior divisional operating manager (SrDOM), senior divisional engineer (SrDN) and senior divisional mechanical engineer (SrDME). The probe team will submit its report in a week.

Meanwhile, the engine of Nagpur-Chhindwara narrow gauge line derailed in Motibagh yard while shunting. The incident occurred at 3.35pm. Following the accident, the train was delayed by 90 minutes.