Following a tragic train crash in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district that left at least nine people dead and 50 injured, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw promptly arrived at the accident site near Rangapani station. He traveled from Delhi to Bagdogra by flight, followed by a drive and a bike ride to reach the location.
The accident occurred around 9 am today when a goods train overshot a signal and collided with the Kanchanjunga Express, which was en route from Agartala in Tripura to Sealdah in Kolkata. Preliminary investigations suggest signal overshooting as the cause of the crash.
Casualties were limited because the rear part of the Kanchanjunga Express comprised the parcel and guard’s coaches, which absorbed much of the impact, sparing the passenger compartments further ahead. However, three railway personnel, including the loco pilot of the goods train and the guard of the Express train, were among the deceased.
The accident took place on a crucial route connecting Bengal with the Northeastern cities of Silchar and Agartala, located in the Chicken’s Neck corridor that links the Northeast with the rest of India.
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The government has announced compensation of ₹10 lakh for the families of the deceased, ₹2.5 lakh for those with serious injuries, and ₹50,000 for minor injuries.
President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Home Minister Amit Shah have extended their condolences to the victims’ families.
The Opposition also expressed condolences while criticizing the government for neglecting the Railways. Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge accused the Modi government of mismanaging the Railway Ministry, turning it into a platform for self-promotion. Rahul Gandhi echoed these sentiments, attributing recent train accidents to the government’s mismanagement and negligence over the past decade.
