42 hurt as train derails, traffic disrupted for over 14 hrs

The Pratapgarh-bound train derailed around 6.20 AM near Sourai, six kms from here, District Collector (Vidisha) C B Singh told PTI.

While three bogies of the train overturned, four others jumped the rails disrupting traffic on both up and down lines between Bhopal and New Delhi, he said.

Movement of trains on the affected line could not be resumed even 14 hours after the derailment, he said, adding, trains were allowed to pass using a parallel line.

Some of the derailed bogies slid down the tracks as the accident site was at a height, railway officials said.

The seriously injured persons were referred to Bhopal's Hamidia Hospital while the remaining were admitted in the Vidisha District Hospital, the Collector said.

All three grievously injured are women - Kamla Ramchandran, Sushma Devi and Nirmala Verma.

Meanwhile, an inquiry has been ordered into the mishap and the Railways announced an ex-gratia of Rs 1,00,000 to the grievously injured passengers and Rs 25,000 to those with simple wounds.

"P K Vajapyee, Commissioner Railway Safety, Lucknow Division, will conduct the inquiry and submit the report at the earliest," a Railway Ministry spokesman said.

A total of six compartments, including three sleeper coaches, derailed in the incident. Of them, four overturned due to the impact of the mishap, affecting the train movement between Bhopal and New Delhi, Bhopal Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Ghanshyam Singh said.

The express train, with remaining 15 coaches, left the spot at around 9 am for its onward journey, the DRM said.

While a few trains were cancelled due to the mishap, many others were diverted via the Ujjain-Ratlam-Kota route to Delhi.