Jan Sadharan Express derails near Danapur

PATNA: Passengers travelling by Danapur-Anand Vihar Jan Sadharan Express (13257) had a providential escape when four of its coaches (2, 3, 4 and 5) jumped off the tracks minutes after the train left Danapur around 3.50pm on Sunday. However, no one was hurt in the accident, which badly hit traffic on the Patna-Pt Deendayal Upadhaya Junction (Mughalsarai) route. Several trains were either cancelled or diverted through Gaya.

ECR GM L C Trivedi, Danapur DRM Ranjan Prakash Thakur and other senior railway officials rushed to the spot and an accident relief train was pressed into service to clear the tracks. Traffic on the mainline was likely to be restored after midnight.

DRM Thakur said the derailment was caused due to the failure of interlocking system. “However, a senior administrative grade (SAG) officer will inquire into the real reason behind the accident,” he said.

East central railway (ECR) chief public relations officer Rajesh Kumar said Danapur-Rajgir Passenger (53230), Patna-Ara MEMU (63213), Fatuha-Buxar MEMU (63261) and Patna-Pt Deendayal Upadhaya Junction MEMU (63231) were cancelled. The railways short-originated Danapur-Mokamah MEMU (63218) from Patna Junction and rescheduled Danapur-Bengaluru Sanghmitra Express to 12 in the night, Pataliputra-Chandigarh Superfast to 11.30pm and Danapur-Pune superfast to 6am on Monday instead of 10.55pm on Sunday.

The railways also diverted Patna-New Delhi Rajdhani Express (12309), Patna-New Delhi Sampoorna Kranti Express (12393), Islampur-New Delhi Magadh Express (12401), Bhagalpur-Anand Vihar Vikramshila Express (12367), Sealdah-Amritsar Akal Takht (12317) and Patna-Manduadih Janshatabdi Express (15126) to Patna-Gaya line.

GM Trivedi said the Danapur railway yard where the coaches derailed needed modernization. Railway Board has already sanctioned adequate funds for the modernization of the old railway yard. “The yard is likely to be modernized by the end of January 2019,” he said.