Kolkata: Several passengers were injured this morning when an express train collided with a goods train in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. The Kanchanjungha Express, traveling from Silchar in Assam to Sealdah in Kolkata, was hit from behind by a goods train near Rangapani station, close to New Jalpaiguri, causing two coaches to derail.
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that doctors and disaster response teams were dispatched to the scene. She expressed her shock on X, stating that the DM, SP, doctors, ambulances, and disaster teams were mobilized for rescue and medical assistance.
Shocked to learn, just now, about a tragic train accident, in Phansidewa area of Darjeeling district. While details are awaited, Kanchenjunga Express has reportedly been hit by a goods train. DM, SP, doctors, ambulances and disaster teams have been rushed to the site for rescue,…
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) June 17, 2024
The Kanchanjungha Express, a daily train connecting Bengal with Silchar and Agartala, runs through the crucial Chicken’s Neck corridor. This accident could potentially disrupt the movement of other trains on this line. The train is popular among tourists traveling to Darjeeling, especially now as people seek relief from the sultry summer in Kolkata and south Bengal.
Preliminary information suggests that the goods train overshot a signal and collided with the Kanchanjungha Express. National Disaster Response Force teams and ambulances have been sent to the site, with Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw monitoring the situation from Delhi. The Railways have released helpline numbers for inquiries: 033-23508794 and 033-23833326 (Sealdah), and 03612731621, 03612731622, and 03612731623 (Guwahati).
Minister Vaishnaw stated on X that rescue operations are underway on a war footing, with Railways, NDRF, and SDRF coordinating closely and the injured being transported to hospitals.
Unfortunate accident in NFR zone. Rescue operations going on at war footing. Railways, NDRF and SDRF are working in close coordination. Injured are being shifted to the hospital. Senior officials have reached site.
— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) June 17, 2024