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
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Eight persons were killed and 14 others injured after a passenger train collided with a goods train from behind in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh.
The collision took place around 4 pm when the DEMU (Diesel Electric Multiple Unit) train was heading to Bilaspur from Gevra in neighbouring Korba district, railway officials said, adding it rammed into the goods train from behind between Gatora and Bilaspur stations.
The Railway Board said that the accident took place as the passenger train seems to have overshot a red signal.
“Passing Signal at Danger by DEMU (Diesel Electric Multiple Unit) train seems to be the reason in the preliminary assessment by railway authorities,” a press note from the Railway Board stated.
“A detailed inquiry into the incident will be conducted at the level of the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) to ascertain the exact cause and recommend necessary corrective actions, " said the Board in a statement.
The goods train was also moving in the same direction as that of the passenger train. The passenger train hit the goods train from behind. The impact of the collision was so severe that a coach of the passenger train got mounted on a wagon of the goods train.
The railway authorities have mobilised all resources at the spot, and required measures are being taken for the treatment of the injured persons, the officials said.
The railway authorities announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to 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.
Relief and rescue operations have been launched on a war footing by the railway administration. Senior officials were present on the spot to monitor the situation, and the injured have been shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment, it said.
The accident disrupted train operations on the Bilaspur–Howrah the route and several train services either cancelled or diverted.
The collision was so severe that it caused significant damage to overhead electrical wires and signal systems, which officials said they are working on to restore it.
Emergency contact numbers of Bilaspur – 7777857335, 7869953330; Champa – 8085956528; Raigarh – 9752485600; Pendra Road – 8294730162; Korba – 7869953330 and Uslapur – 7777857338, have been made operational for the convenience of passengers and their families.