60 injured in loco train collision in Vishnugad-Pipalkoti hydroelectric project tunnel

Gopeshwar: About 60 people were injured when a loco train collided with a goods train inside Pipalkoti tunnel of the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydro Electric Project tunnel in Chamoli district, officials said. Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar said that there were a total of 109 people, mostly workers, on the train at the time of the accident, which occurred late Tuesday evening. He said the train was evacuated and condition of all injured is stable.

The DM said that one train carrying people and another carrying materials were moving inside the Pipalkoti tunnel of the project, being constructed by THDC (India), when they collided. The Railways in a statement said the trains involved in collision did not belong to it but were part of a local arrangement. "It is clarified that during construction of a hydro power project tunnel construction, an unfortunate event occurred due to local trolley transportation arrangement in Chamoli district Uttarakhand. This event has nothing to do with Indian Railways. The trains mentioned in news are not Indian Railway trains. This is a local arrangement done by Tunnel Project team for transportation," it said. According to officials, loco trains are used inside tunnels for the transportation of workers, officials, and materials for construction work. The Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Chamoli said that 10 injured have been sent to the district hospital in Gopeshwar for treatment. The 444-megawatt hydroelectric project is being built on the Alaknanda River between Helang and Pipalkoti in Chamoli district. The project is to generate 111 megawatts of electricity through four turbines. It is targeted to be completed by next year.