M A I N   N E W S

2 killed, 7 hurt in train mishap
Rail traffic between Delhi, Amritsar disrupted
From Rahul Das and Suman Bhatnagar

AMBALA, July 1 — Two persons were killed and seven sustained injuries when the Howrah-Amritsar Express rammed into the empty rake of stationary Ambala City-Saharanpur passenger train in Ambala City early this morning.

The two persons killed were the driver, Nanak Chand, and the assistant driver, Prem Pal, of the 3005 Up Howrah-Amritsar Express. Four coaches of the passenger train, which were being led by an electric engine to Ambala City from Ambala Cantt rail yard for its run to Saharanpur, were badly damaged.

Some passengers travelling in the Howrah-Amritsar Express sustained injuries due to the impact of the collision as luggage and people fell on them. Five of the passengers, Gurmit Singh, Manish, Shyam Sunder, Rajesh and Pravin, have been admitted to the Ambala City Civil Hospital. Two Railway Protection Force personnel, Dharamvir and Dalbir Singh, were admitted to the Railway Hospital.

While the engine of the Howrah-Amritsar Express was completely damaged due to the collision, the last four coaches of the passenger train were derailed blocking the main line.

Pieces of mangled metal were strewn at the accident site. The engine of the Howrah Amritsar Express had been crushed by the impact which led to the death of the driver and the assistant driver.

The Railways, the district administration, fire brigade and the Army besides the local residents swung into action soon after the accident took place at about 4.50 a.m. near Prem Nagar in Ambala City. The Ambala-Saharanpur passenger train, technically referred to as Empty Coaching Rakes (ECR), was headed towards Ambala City, when reportedly, the power supply was disrupted. The passenger train ground to a halt in between Ambala Cantonment and Ambala City stations.

The Howrah-Amritsar Express, which was on the same track as the section has automatic transmission, rammed into the stationary passenger train. Four power supply poles were also damaged.

The Divisional Railway Manager, Mr Vijay Kumar, said work on clearing of debris was going on. “We hope to clear the main line soon. Our effort is to normalise rail traffic as early as possible,” he said.

He said the Rajpura power sub station supplies power to this track. “Right now, we don’t know exactly why the supply was disrupted due to which the passenger train had stopped ”.

Mr Kumar said an inquiry had been ordered. To a query, he said that the possibility of human error leading to the accident could not be ruled out.

The Additional Divisional Railway Manager, Mr Ashwini Kapoor, said work is on war-footing to clear the wreck. We expect the traffic to normalise soon after the debris are cleared from the track, he said. A relief train has already reached the site of the accident.

The trains which were affected by the accident include 4590 Inter City Bhatinda-New Delhi, 2014 Amritsar-Delhi, Shatabadi 4660 Amritsar-Delhi Express, 4682 Jalandhar New Delhi Express and these trains were diverted through Dhuri Jakhal.

The Up trains which were diverted, include 2497 Shan-E-Punjab, 2029 Swaran Shatabadi, 5707 Barauni Express, 2471 Swaraj Express, 9367 Malwa Express, 1057 Dadar Express via Dhuri Jakhal.

Six passenger trains running between Ambala-Ludhiana and Ambala-Patiala have been cancelled.

The Superintendent of Police, (Railways,) Mr Khushi Ram, said reasons behind the accident would be known only after the inquiry.

An Army officer at the accident site said Army personnel were assisting the Railways in clearing the debris from the rail track.

The Deputy Commissioner of Ambala, Mr Ram Niwas, said the injured were shifted to Ambala City Civil Hospital and they were given immediate treatment. “Free medication to the injured was arranged and the Civil Hospital was alerted”, he said.

Mr Ram Niwas said five buses were arranged to take the train passengers to the nearest bus station at Ambala Cantonment. “On learning about the accident, we immediately informed the Fire Brigade personnel, who took out the two drivers from the remains of the engines. We also informed the Army so that their expertise could be utilised,” he said.

Mr Faizul Rehman, who was travelling to Jalandhar, said at about 4.45 a.m, there was a loud noise. “Those who were sitting and sleeping fell on each other. Some people sustained injuries due to the fall of luggage,” he said.

Mr Abdul Khalia, a passenger, said people fell on each other. “At first we thought that it was a bomb explosion and there was panic. The train stopped and we all disembarked. There was little light and we were unable to judge the extent of the accident,” he said.

The BJP Municipal Councillor, Mr Neeraj Trikha, who was one of the first person to reach the accident site, said he informed fire brigade and Deputy Commissioner, Ambala. “We reached the spot, and saw that there was sparking. We went close to the train accident spot only after sparking stopped. We then helped out the driver who was rushed to the Civil Hospital but he died on the way,” he said.

The Indian Medical Association also took prompt action and a team of IMA reached the spot to extend medical help to the injured.

Railway sources said normal traffic was expected to be restored by evening after the clearance of the affected track and erection of over-head electric wires and poles.

Our Phillaur Correspondent adds: The Northern Railway cancelled the Howrah-bound 3050 DN Amritsar-Howrah Express on Saturday as its corresponding 3049 Up Amritsar-bound Amritsar-Howrah Express, met with an accident at Ambala early morning on Saturday.

Passengers stranded in region
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, July 1 — Thousands of passengers were delayed or stranded all across railway stations North of Delhi or were sitting inside trains running late by several hours as an accident near Ambala on the main trunk line at 4: 50 this morning forced the diversion or delay of almost 200 up and down trains that pass through Ambala.

The only line that was serviced was the Chandigarh — Ambala section and all trains between Chandigarh and Delhi operated as per schedule. Trains coming from Saharanpur heading towards Ambala for destinations in Punjab were held up.

Several trains were stranded in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana .The trains were cleared 6 p.m. Trains coming via Delhi were diverted on the already crowded Rohtak—Jind—Narwana—Dhuri—Jakhal—Ludhiana line. This delayed passengers up to 10 hours as all long -distance trains that travel at 100 KMPH crawled and halted at small stations to allow trains to pass in the opposite direction. The problem was aggravated as the line via Rohtak is a double track till Jind and from Jind to Ludhiana — a distance of nearly 200 kilometres — the track is single.

Among the stranded passengers were thousands of teenagers, who were headed for Karnataka and Maharashtra to take various entrance examinations for admission in professional colleges in these States.

All long -distance trains were detained at Kurukshetra, Ambala Jagadhri, Khanna , Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Khanna, Rajpura.

The trains which were affected by the accident include 4590 InterCity Bhatinda- New Delhi, 2014 Shatabadi Amritsar Delhi, 4660 Amritsar Delhi Express, 4682 Jalandhar New Delhi Express and these trains were diverted through Dhuri and Jakhal.

The Up trains which were diverted include 2497 Shane Punjab, 2029 Swaran Shatabadi, 5707 Barauni Express, 2471 Swaraj Express, 9367 Malwa Express, 1057 Dadar Express via Dhuri Jakhal.

Six passenger trains running between Ambala -Ludhiana and Ambala— Patiala have been cancelled. While train number 3049 between Howrah and Amritsar will terminate at Ambala and carry on its return journey from Ambala.

AMBALA (UNI): The traffic on both up and down rail tracks between Delhi and Amritsar, which remained suspended for more than 12 hours following a collision between two trains near Ambala City was restored this evening.

According to railway sources here the traffic on the up track was restored at 5.30 p.m.

The repair works of high tension electric wires on the tracks which were badly damaged in the mishap was under progress and it is likely to be completed by tomorrow.