Low speed of train averted grave mishap

NEW DELHI: Around 11.54 am on Thursday, 12439 Ranchi Rajdhani Express was just a few metres away from entering New Delhi railway station, when one of its power car and engine derailed at Shivaji Bridge area of central Delhi.

No casualties were reported in the incident, and sources said that poor maintenance of tracks was the likely reason.

Northern Railway spokesperson Neeraj Sharma told Millennium Post that the incident was reported when the train was entering platform number 15.

"Only engine and power car were affected, as the speed was very low," said Sharma.

The incident caused nine trains to be cancelled and a same number of trains to be diverted.

The spokesperson denied reports that the train veered on to the nearby track.

All concerned agencies, including police, rushed to the spot after being informed about the incident.

Sharing his experience, one of train's passengers Imam Hussain, a resident of south East Delhi's Jamia Nagar, told Millennium Post that the train was very slow and people were packing and getting ready to get off the train.

When the train derailed, Hussain fell inside his coach and injured his left foot, after which he was admitted to the hospital.

"The train was so slow there was no casualty. But if it were fast, God knows what would have happened," said Hussain, who was returning to Delhi from Ranchi.

Another passenger said that he felt a sudden jerk when the train was about to enter New Delhi station.

Some Railway staff entered the bogies and told the passengers about the incident, after which the passengers were safely evacuated.

Sources claimed that the incident caused due to issues related to the track.

However, senior railway officials stated that it was too early to say anything about the incident.

An investigation will be carried out to find out the cause of the derailment.

Officials said the engine and power car were brought back on the track around 5.45 pm on Thursday, and the railway track was in a fit to function.