Kolkata-Sairang express derails near Guwahati

Train No. 13125 traveling from Kolkata to Sairang went off the tracks on Wednesday morning within Assam’s Kamrup (Metro) district. Five front coaches and the locomotive engine jumped the rails near Digaru Railway Station at approximately 6:54 AM. Railway authorities confirmed that all passengers survived without injuries. Northeast Frontier Railway officials attribute the incident to excess speed, stating the loco pilot failed to halt properly while making way for the Jan Shatabdi Express. Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, Chief Public Relations Officer for the Northeast Frontier Railway, explained that the train was moving slowly enough to prevent major injuries. Officials quickly dispatched an alternative train from Guwahati to transport stranded travelers to their respective destinations. Senior railway management, including the General Manager, arrived at the site to oversee immediate track restoration and launch a formal investigation into the operational failure. Assam's railway network serves as a vital lifeline for passenger and freight movement across the northeastern states, making rapid clearance of blocked lines a top priority for regional administrators.

Read Also: Puri gears up for Panchuka as devotees prepare for rare darshan of Lord Jagannath

Passengers recall harrowing moments

Evacuation proved difficult for those onboard due to confined spaces between the mangled compartments. Pantry car staff reported that the train operated smoothly after departing Guwahati, but things went wrong upon reaching Digaru. According to the pantry manager, a loud noise echoed as they crossed the platform, followed by the engine derailing just meters away. “We moved for another km in that derailed state. I fell from my seat thrice. We could not open the gate. We were all anxious. After 10 minutes, the train stopped,” the pantry car manager recounted. He noted that the power car and engine sustained severe damage but expressed immense relief that everyone survived the ordeal.

Train services temporarily halted

Derailments in this region frequently disrupt critical transit corridors. Following Wednesday's disruption, the Northeast Frontier Railway controlled the movement of two other passenger routes. Officials halted the Guwahati-Jorhat Town Jan Shatabdi Express at Panbari and held the Coimbatore-Silchar Express at Panikhaiti. Track restoration efforts are currently progressing to resume normal train operations shortly.

With Inputs from Agency Threads and Image Courtesy: ANI