2 killed, 20 injured in 3rd train accident in less than 2 months
Two people were killed and at least 20 injured as 18 coaches of the Howrah-Mumbai Express derailed at around 3.45 am near Badabambo station in Seraikela Kharsawan district in eastern Jharkhand. The station falls under the Chakradharpur Division of the South Eastern Railway.
The derailment happened after the passenger train rammed into a derailed goods. This kind of accident again brings into picture the failed promises of the government in implementing the KAVACH automatic train protection system. Most of the country is yet to get it.
This is the third train accident over the last one-and-a-half months, after the derailments of the Kanchanjunga Express on June 17 and Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express on July 18.
The bodies of the two passengers who died were recovered from bathrooms after a coach was cut with gas cutters. Four to five of the injured are in a serious condition.
The Ministry of Railways has announced an ex gratia of Rs 10 Lakh each for the families of the deceased, Rs 5 lakh each for the seriously injured and Rs 1 Lakh for those with simple injuries.
For the record, in his post-Budget remarks last week, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the focus will be on enhancing safety, with a record Rs 1,08,795 crore out of the total Rs 2,62,200 crore outlay to be dedicated to safety measures. He said the installation of the KAVACH automatic train protection system was at the top of the priority list for the government.
