Kanchanjunga Express accident: Restoration work begins, trains diverted

Restoration and rescue work was underway after the Kanchanjunga Express train accident which left at least eight dead and dozens injured, even as the unaffected 19 coaches of the train resumed its onward journey with around 1,293 passengers, officials said.

“Restoration work started by around 12noon and it was going on simultaneously with the rescue work. It would be difficult to give any timeline by when we expect to complete the restoration work,” said Sabyasachi De, chief public relations officer of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR).

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Officials said that out of the 23 coaches, four were affected in the accident. These include the guards coach, two parcel vans and a general coach.

“By around 12noon the remaining 19 coaches, which were unaffected, resumed the onward journey with 1,293 passengers. They were given food and water at Aluabari station,” said a senior railway official.

Both up and down lines were blocked due to the derailed coaches and the containers, which were being transported in the goods train, fell on the tracks.

Four coaches of Kanchanjunga Express and five coaches of the goods train were derailed.

“While gas cutters were brought in to cut open the damaged coaches and check whether any passengers were trapped inside, earth moving machines were pressed into action to remove the damaged coaches and containers from the tracks,” said an official.

Several trains had to be either cancelled or diverted through the New Jalpaiguri – Siliguri – Bagdogra – Aluabari route.

“Around two dozen trains including Dibrugarh -Rajdhani Express, Howrah – NJP Vande Bharat Express, Guwahati – Howrah Saraighat Express, Guwahati – Jammu Tawi Lohit Exoress, Kamakhya-Delhi Brahmaputra mail and Guwahati – Bengaluru Express were diverted,” said an official.

A few passenger trains were also cancelled, officials said.