Guwahati: The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has cancelled and diverted many passengers trains running in the region after the Sealdah-bound Kanchanjungha Express accident in North Bengal.

NFR through a press statement said that train no. 13174 Down Agartala – Sealdah Kanchanjungha Express on  Monday morning faced a rear end collision by a Goods train carrying containers between Rangapani and Chatterhatsection under the Katihar division of NFR  at around 08:55 AM. The location is about 10 km from New Jalpaiguri station.

Sabyasachi De,  Chief Public Relations Officerof NFR said that on receiving the information, Accident Relief Medical team along with Men and machinery immediately reached the accident site within short span of time to rescue and aid the injured passengers. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and General Manager of NFR , Chetan Kr. Shrivastava with other senior officials immediately rushed to reach the accident site. On arriving Siliguri, Railway Minister immediately rushed to the hospital to meet the injured patients. He personally interacted with the injured ones and also visited the accident site to take stock of the rescue and restoration operation.

As a result of the accident, 4 coaches from rear side of the Kanchanjungha Express and 5 wagons of the container carrying train got derailed blocking the train movements of both Up and Down lines. However, debris on the Up Line was cleared at 5.40 PM. Work for speedy restoration of the Down Line is also in progress.

About 9 people died (7 passengers and 2 railway staffs), 9 people were grievously injured and nearly 32 people were left with minor, normal injuries as a result of the accident. All the injured persons are being provided adequate medical help. The unaffected portion of the Kanchanjungha Express has left from the accident site at 12:00 for its onward journey. Passenger rescue operation was completed.

NFR added that adequate food packets and drinking water bottles were provided by the railway side to the stranded passengers. Help-Line numbers were made operational at all important stations. Indian Railways has already announced ex-gratia of Rs. 10 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased, Rs. 2, 50,000 for who sustained grievous injury and Rs. 50,000 to each who sustained minor injury.

As a result of the incident, several trains were diverted from and to New Jalpaiguri railway station via Siliguri Junction, Bagdogra and Aluabari Road route(Annexure-1).Some trains were also cancelled(Annexure-2).

(Annexure-1 for Train Diversions)

1.            06105 Nagercoil Jn.- Dibrugarh Special of 14.06.24

2.            15910 Lalgarh- DibrugarhAvadh Assam Express of 15.06.24

3.            15667 Gandhidham- Kamakhya Express of 15.06.24

4.            22503 Kanyakumari- Dibrugarh Express of 15.06.24

5.            12524 New Delhi- New Jalpaiguri Express of 16.06.24

6.            22412 AnandVihar Terminal- Naharlagun Express of 16.06.24

7.            02526 AnandVihar Terminal- Kamakhya Express of 16.06.24

8.            01095 Manmad Jn.- Guwahati Special of 16.06.24

9.            22450 New Delhi- Guwahati Express of 16.06.24

10.          12519 LokmanyaTilak Terminus- Agartala Express of 16.06.24

11.          20503 Dibrugarh – New Delhi Rajdhani Express of 16.06.24.

12.          12423 Dibrugarh – New Delhi Rajdhani Express of 16.06.24

13.          01666 Agartala – Rani Kamlapati Special of 16.06.24

14.          12377 Sealdah- New Alipurduar Padatik Express of 16.06.24

15.          20506 New Delhi- DibrugarhRajdhani Express of 16.06.24.

16.          12424 New Delhi- DibrugarhRajdhani Express of 16.06.24.

17.          22504 Dibrugarh - Kanyakumari Express of 16.06.24.

18.          19602 New Jalpaiguri – Udaipur City Weekly Express of 17.06.24

19.          22301 Howrah- New JalpaiguriVande Bharat Express of 17.06.24.

20.          12346 Guwahati- Howrah Saraighat Express of 17.06.24.

21.          12505 Kamakhya- AnandVihar (T) Northeast Express of 17.06.24.

22.          12510 Guwahati- SMVT Bengaluru Express of 17.06.24.

23.          22302 New Jalpaiguri- Howrah Vande Bharat Express of 17.06.24.

24.          15620 Kamakhya- Gaya Express of 17.06.24.

25.          15962 Dibrugarh- Howrah Kamrup Express of 17.06.24.

26.          15636 Guwahati- Okha Express of 17.06.24.

27.          15930 New Tinsukia- Tambaram Express of 17.06.24.

28.          13148 Bamanhat- Sealdah Uttar Banga Express of 17.06.24.

29.          13142 New Alipurduar- SealdahTeestaTorsa Express of 17.06.24

30.          12344 Haldibari- Sealdah Darjeeling Mail of 17.06.24

31.          12378 New Alipurduar- SealdahPadatik Express of 17.06.24

32.          15651 Guwahati- Jammu TawiLohit Express of 17.06.24

33.          15658 Kamakhya- Delhi Brahmaputra Mail of 17.06.24

34.          13175 Sealdah- SilcharKanchanjunga Express of 17.06.24

35.          13181 Kolkata- Silghat Town Express of 17.06.24

36.          12041 Howrah- New JalpaiguriShatabdi Express of 17.06.24

37.          22234 Patna Jn.- New JalpaiguriVande Bharat Express of 17.06.24

(Annexure-2 for Train Cancellations)

1.            Train no. 07508 Siliguri Jn. – Radhikapur DEMU Specialof 17.06.24

2.            Train no. 75705Radhikapur – Siliguri Jn. Intercity Expressof17.06.24

3.            Train no. 05796Malda Town– New Jalpaiguri Special of 17.06.24

4.            Train no. 15709 Malda Town- New Jalpaiguri Express of 17.06.24

5.            Train no. 05797New Jalpaiguri – Malda Town Special of 17.06.24& 18.06.2024

6.            Train no. 05798Malda Town – New Jalpaiguri Special of 18.06.24 & 19.06.2024

7.            Train no. 75706 Siliguri Jn. - Radhikapur Intercity Express of 18.06.24

8.            Train no. 15710 New Jalpaiguri- Malda Town Express of 18.06.24