Derailment of the Howrah-Mumbai Mail railway train occurred early Tuesday morning in Jharkhand, which claimed the lives of two passengers and left at least twenty others injured. India has long experienced such a calamitous railway mishap. All these escalated incidences have sparked nationwide fear over safety standards within the National Railways.
The accident happened at roughly 3:45 am on the South Eastern Railway’s Chakradharpur division, close to Badabamboo, which is around 80 kilometres from Jamshedpur. The Howrah-Mumbai Mail was struck by a derailing freight train that was heading in the opposite direction, according to the first reports. Railway officials have yet to verify this information.
18 train coaches derailed in the incident, with 16 being passenger coaches. The remaining 2 were a power car and a pantry car. Rescue operations are underway at the accident site, with injured passengers receiving initial medical treatment in Badabamboo before being transferred to Chakradharpur for further care.
80% of the passengers have already been transferred to Chakradharpur station, according to railway officials, and a rescue train is en route to remove the remaining passengers. Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, has conveyed her heartfelt condolences to the family members of the victims while also questioning the national government’s commitment towards ensuring safety on railways in light of this latest catastrophe.
Just about 10 days ago, there was an accident involving the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express train in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh leaving three people dead. This accident occurred around a month after another one when the Kanchanjunga Express going towards Sealdah from Siliguri met with an accident in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal killing 9 passengers instantly.
Outrage and anxiety have spread across the nation due to the recurrent nature of these catastrophes. The central government has become the target of the opposition, which charges it with disregarding passenger safety. Serious concerns over the condition of India’s railway infrastructure and maintenance have been highlighted by the regularity of these derailments.
The Howrah-Mumbai Mail derailment’s cause is still being looked into as of right now. To identify the precise reason and stop such catastrophes from happening in the future, a comprehensive investigation is required. Prioritizing railway safety requires the Indian government to make investments in updated infrastructure, enforce tougher maintenance procedures, and make sure safety rules are followed.
