At least 142 people were killed and over 200 suffered injuries when 14 coaches of the Indore-Patna Express derailed near Pukhrayan at Kanpur Dehat district in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday morning. Many of the injured are undergoing treatment at nearby hospitals.
Rescue operations in one of the worst train accidents in recent years are now over, the police said on Monday.
PTI
Despite the government¡¯s claims that the railways¡¯ safety record has become better and that 20 percent fewer accidents were reported this year than last year, India has apparently failed to ensure the safety of railway passengers. Indian Railways ¨C which serves 13 million passengers every day ¨C still has a poor safety record, with thousands of people dying in accidents every year.
According to data compiled by the NCRB, between 2010 and 2014, the death toll in rail accidents has varied between 24,000 and 27,000 every year.
More than 200 rail accidents out of the total 292 were caused due to the failure of railway staff in the last few years with action being taken against 542 employees and penalties imposed in over 500 cases.
PTI
According to railway ministry data, as per the findings of inquiry committees, including prima facie causes, out of a total of 292 consequential train accidents, excluding mishaps that occurred at unmanned level crossings, from 2012-13 to January 2016, 204 accidents have been attributed to the failure of railway staff.
1. Bihar train disaster (300-800 deaths): On June 6, 1981, a passenger train carrying more than 800 commuters between Mansi (Dhamara Pul) and Saharsa derailed and fell into the Bagmati river while it was crossing a bridge.
PTI
Estimates of total deaths range from 300 to 800 or more. The accident is among the deadliest-ever rail accidents on record.
Though the cause of the accident is not certain as some say it occurred because of a cyclone or flash flooding, the third reason points towards a manual error.
It was raining heavily, the driver suddenly spotted a buffalo on a bridge. He suddenly jammed the which caused the train to fall into the river.
2. Firozabad rail disaster (358 deaths): It took place on August 20, 1995, near Firozabad in Uttar Pradesh on the Delhi-Kanpur section at around 2:55 a.m. when a passenger train collided with another train that had stopped after hitting a cow, killing 358 people. Some sources estimate the deaths at more than 400.
PTI
Both trains were bound for Delhi. The first train ¨CKalindi Express from Kanpur ¨C hit a cow and could not proceed as its brakes were damaged. It was then struck from behind at a speed of 70 km per hour by Purushottam Express which was coming from Puri.?
While three carriages of the Kalindi Express were destroyed, the engine and front two carriages of the Purushottam Express were derailed.?
Most of the 2,200 passengers aboard the two trains were asleep at the time of the accident.
3. Gaisal train disaster mishap (268 deaths): 268 people were killed and 359 injured when Brahmaputra Mail hit from front Awadh¨CAssam Express that was stationary at a remote station of Gaisal ¨C which is 310 miles from Guwahati in Assam ¨C at 1:30 a.m. on August 2, 1999.
PTI
The deadly accident happened due to a manual error of signal failing. Brahmaputra Mail was given green signal to go ahead on the same track the Avadh Assam Express was standing.?
The latter was thrown high in the air and passengers from both trains were blown into neighbouring buildings and fields by the force of the explosion.?
4. Khanna rail disaster (212 deaths): It occurred on November 26, 1998, near Khanna in Ludhiana district of Punjab on the Khanna-Ludhiana section at 3:15 a.m. when the Calcutta-bound Jammu Tawi-Sealdah Express collided with six derailed coaches of the Amritsar-bound Frontier Mail which were lying on its path.?
At least 212 people were killed. The trains were estimated to be carrying 2,500 passengers. The initial derailment was caused by a broken rail.
5. Howrah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express mishap (140 deaths): In another rail accident that occurred because of manual fault, Howrah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express derailed near Rafiganj station between Gaya and Dehri-on-Sone stations, at 10:40 p.m. on September 9, 2002, resulting in over 140 deaths.
PTI
The track on which the high-speed train was running was considered weak and it was from the British era. Heavy rain caused the crack in the track which was the reason behind derailment of a train that was running at a speed of 100 km/h.
6. Kalka Mail derailment (70 deaths): The incident took place when 15 coaches of Howrah-Kalka Mail heading towards Delhi derailed near Malwan at Fatehpur in Uttar Pradesh on July 10, 2011. Seventy people were killed and more than 300 injured in the accident.
PTI
The cause of the accident is not yet known, however, sources state that the train derailed following the sudden use of the emergency brake. The train was travelling at the speed of 108 km/h on the Howrah - New Delhi Line when it derailed.?
7. Delhi-Chennai Tamil Nadu Express fire (35 deaths): A coach of the Delhi-Chennai Tamil Nadu Express caught fire on June 30, 2012, killing 35 passengers and injuring 25 others.
8. Diva Junction-Sawantvadi Passenger train derailment (20 deaths): The accident took place on May 4, 2014, between Nagothane and Roha stations killing near about 20 passengers and injuring 100 others.
PTI
While the exact cause of the accident is still not known, railway officers said the engine and the six bogies behind it slipped off the tracks. The engine and the first two bogies were the worst affected.