Kanchanjunga Train Accident: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Guv Ananda Bose Visit Injured; Casualty Rises To Nine - Live Updates

The accident's death toll has been revised to nine, on Monday night, according to the government machinery. The ill-fated Kanchanjunga Express Train which was rear ended by a goods train was moved from the accident site, late in the night.

Here is a quick wrap from the accident and the related developments in 10 Points:

1. Preliminary reports said five were pulled out as corpses from the mangled coaches of the Kanchanjunga Express that was hit by the locomotive of a goods train on Monday. The accident occurred near Rangapani station, about 30 km from New Jalpaiguri station, at 8.55 am. The hit triggered derailment of four rear compartments - including two parcel vans and a guard van - of the Kanchanjunga Express.
2. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw left for the accident site where he took stock of relief and rescue operations, and restoration of the mainline where the accident occurred.
3. Rescue operations concluded by late afternoon, according to Ashwini Vaishnaw. Efforts to restore train services by removing the derailed and mangled coaches of the affected trains from the area were continued late into the night.
4. Railway sources claimed that the accident could have been a possible "human error" on part of the goods train Loco Pilot. Sources claimed that the collision occurred since the goods train driver disregarded the signal.
5. 'Kavach' or anti-train collision system could not have been present in the route, where the accident took place, said former Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi. Later, the Railways clarified that 'Kavach' was not installed in the affected Guwahati-Delhi route.
6. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the deceased victims, referring to the accident as tragic and adding that he will keep those injured in his prayers for a swift recovery.
7. Vaishnaw reached Bagdogra airport, from where he took a car to reach Rangapani, before riding a two-wheeler for the last mile connectivity. After site inspection, he said the rescue efforts are over and focus is on restoration of the mainline. He also announced an enhanced compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of the deceased, Rs 2.5 lakh for grievous injuries and Rs 50,000 for minor injuries.
8. According to Vaishnaw, the Commissioner of Railway Safety was probing the cause of the accident. He assured that steps were on to stop such things from recurring.
9. Sources said the Express was stationary when it was struck and that the goods train had permission to jump all red signals due to "signal failure." Railways later charged that the goods train Loco Pilot violated the protocol for signal failure by exceeding the permissible speed limit.
10. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Governor CV Ananda Bose visited the injured. Mamata accused the railways of having become "totally parentless", focussed on driving the fares up without improving passenger amenities. Bose said this is a time of relief and not of playing blame games.

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose met the injured of the Kanchenjunga Express train accident at North Bengal Medical College in Siliguri and said that all stakeholders should stand together in the hour of crisis. "I saw the patients and discussed with the doctors, the situation is under control. They are being given the best treatment. They are being given the best medical facilities. This is a tragedy in which we will all stand together. All steps will be taken for the rehabilitation of those admitted to the hospital," Bose told reporters after meeting the injured on Monday. The Governor asked all stakeholders to stand together in the hour of crisis.

At least nine persons were killed and 41 others injured after the ill-fated Kanchenjunga Express met with an accident on Monday.

Union Minister and West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar met the injured at the North Bengal Medical College in Siliguri. At least nine persons were killed and 41 others injured after the Kanchenjunga Express met with an accident on Monday morning. Earlier in the day, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw visited the accident spot in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal and announced a probe into the mishap.

Passengers who were onboard the ill-fate Kanchanjunga Express recalled the horrendous incident. According to a passenger, the train stopped abruptly with a sharp jerk accompanied by a loud sound. Upon disembarking, he saw that the goods train had hit their rake from behind.

"We were having tea when the train stopped suddenly with a jerk," he said. A pregnant woman, travelling with her family, said she fell off her seat upon impact. "It felt like an earthquake. It took us some time to collect ourselves and understand what happened," she said, sitting with her family in one of the air-conditioned sleeper coaches.

A passenger from Agartala, who was in coach number S6, said he felt a sudden jerk and the compartment screeched to a halt. "My wife, child and I somehow managed to come out of the mangled coach. We are currently stranded... The rescue operations also started quite late," the passenger told a television channel.

The Railways' Kavach' or anti-train collision system was not in place along the Guwahati-Delhi route, where a goods train collided with the Sealdah Kanchanjunga Express in the rear on Monday. Chairperson of the Railway Board Jaya Varma Sinha said that Kavach, an automatic anti-collision train protection system, is being planned for the route. "It is not there right now," she said.

At least 15 people were killed and several others injured after the Sealdah Kanchanjunga Express met with an accident.

The following trains are being diverted due to the accident of train no. 13174 Down Agartala - Sealdah Kanchanjungha Express between Rangapani and Chatterhat stations under the Katihar division of North Frontier Railway.
Diversion of trains via New Jalpaiguri, Siliguri Junction, Bagdogra & Aluabari Road route and vice versa:
1. 06105 Nagercoil Jn.- Dibrugarh Special of 14.06.24
2. 15910 Lalgarh- Dibrugarh Avadh Assam Express of 15.06.24
3. 15667 Gandhidham- Kamakhya Express of 15.06.24
4. 22503 Kanyakumari- Dibrugarh Express of 15.06.24
5. 12524 New Delhi- New Jalpaiguri Express of 16.06.24
6. 22412 Anand Vihar Terminal- Naharlagun Express of 16.06.24
7. 02526 Anand Vihar Terminal- Kamakhya Express of 16.06.24
8. 01095 Manmad Jn.- Guwahati Special of 16.06.24
9. 22450 New Delhi- Guwahati Express of 16.06.24
10. 12519 Lokmanya Tilak Terminus- Agartala Express of 16.06.24
11. 20503 Dibrugarh - New Delhi Rajdhani Express of 16.06.24.
12. 12423 Dibrugarh - New Delhi Rajdhani Express of 16.06.24
13. 01666 Agartala - Rani Kamlapati Special of 16.06.24
14. 12377 Sealdah- New Alipurduar Padatik Express of 16.06.24
15. 20506 New Delhi- Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express of 16.06.24.
16. 12424 New Delhi- Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express of 16.06.24
17. 22504 Dibrugarh - Kanyakumari Express of 16.06.24.
18. 19602 New Jalpaiguri - Udaipur City Weekly Express of 17.06.24
19. 22301 Howrah- New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express of 17.06.24.
20. 12346 Guwahati- Howrah Saraighat Express of 17.06.24.
21. 12505 Kamakhya- Anand Vihar (T) Northeast Express of 17.06.24.
22. 12510 Guwahati- SMVT Bengaluru Express of 17.06.24.
23. 22302 New Jalpaiguri - Howrah Vande Bharat Express of 17.06.24.
24. 15620 Kamakhya Gaya Express of 17.06.24.
25. 15962 Dibrugarh - Howrah Kamrup Express of 17.06.24.
26. 15636 Guwahati - Okha Express of 17.06.24.
27. 15930 New Tinsukia - Tambaram Express of 17.06.24.
28. 13148 Bamanhat - Sealdah Uttar Banga Express of 17.06.24.
29. 13142 New Alipurduar - Sealdah Teesta Torsa Express of 17.06.24
30. 12344 Haldibari - Sealdah Darjeeling Mail of 17.06.24
31 12378 New Alipurduar - Sealdah Padatik Express of 17.06.24
32. 15651 Guwahati- Jammu Tawi Lohit Express of 17.06.24
33. 15658 Kamakhya- Delhi Brahmaputra Mail of 17.06.24
34. 13175 Sealdah - Silchar Kanchanjunga Express of 17.06.24
35. 13181 Kolkata - Silghat Town Express of 17.06.24
36. 12041 Howrah- New Jalpaiguri Shatabdi Express of 17.06.24
37. 22234 Patna Jn.- New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express of 17.06.24

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will on Monday visit the train accident site in New Jalpaiguri to take stock of relief operations. At least 15 passengers died and 60 others were injured after three rear coaches of the stationary Sealdah-bound Kanchanjunga Express derailed on Monday morning as a goods train collided with it in West Bengal's Darjeeling district.

"The chief minister is going to visit the accident spot in New Jalpaiguri to take stock of the relief operations," an official of the West Bengal government told news agency PTI. The three rear compartments derailed under the impact of the collision from behind by the locomotive of the goods train near Rangapani station, about 30 km from North Bengal's New Jalpaiguri station.

The Loco Pilot of the goods train that struck the rear-end of the ill-fated Kanchanjunga Express at Rangapani, near New Jalpaiguri Station was granted permission by the jurisdictional station master to cross all red signals, PTI reported quoting sources.

Between Ranipatra Railway Station and Chattar Hat Junction, the engine driver of the goods train had clearance to cross all red signals as the automatic signalling had "failed", internal documents show. The driver was issued a written authority called TA 912 by the Ranipatra Station Master(SM), authorising him to cross all red signals.

"Automatic Signalling has failed and you are hereby authorized to pass all automatic signals between RNI (Ranipatra Railway Station) and CAT (Chattar Hat Junction)," the authority letter issued by the SM, read. Read More...

Passengers from the ill-fated Kanchanjunga Express Train said a scheduled operational procedure, involving a direction reversal of the rake, for trains passing through Assam's Lumding station, became life-altering for many. The direction reversal at Lumding resulted in the coaches being interchanged to the front and rear ends of the 13174 Agartala-Sealdah Kanchanjunga Express on Monday. For many passengers, it was a life-altering event, after a goods train hit the train they were in from behind at Rangapani, near New Jalpaiguri, in North Bengal. Read More...

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who reached the Kanchanjunga Express accident site, said a Railway Safety Commission will probe the cause of the accident. He assured that adequate preventive measures will be taken to prevent recurrence.

"A complete probe will be carried out by a Commission of Railway Safety," Vaishnaw said, adding that the rescue operations have concluded.

The Minister said the focus has now shifted to restoration of the line. "This is the main line," he said. "The Railways will identify the cause of the accident and will take adequate preventive measures in the future to prevent recurrence," Vaishnaw added.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has expressed her solidarity with the Railway employees and officials, saying that the ruling government and the railway ministry is only bothered about winning the election. She wondered how far one will go for hacking the election and for manipulation.

She said, "They (the Railway Ministry) don't care about passenger amenities. They don't even care about railway officials, railway engineers, railway technical staff and workers."

She said the railway personnel were undergoing troubles, since their old pension scheme had been scrapped by the ministry and government. "They are in trouble. I'm completely with the railway employees and railway officials. They are trying their best," ANI quoted the CM as saying.

She accused the union government of only being worried about the election. "How to go for hacking, how to go for manipulation, how to rig the election," she said, would be the most questions they might ponder over.

She suggested the government and ministry to focus on their governance, rather.

She also accused the railways of having had become "totally parentless" and focusing on raising fares but not on improving passenger amenities.

The ill-fated Kanchanjunga Express Train's accident has highlighted the travel safety issues in Indian trains and the need to utilise technology to improve passenger safety. The goods train that rammed into the rear guard van and threw a couple of parcel vans of the express train near Rangapani station in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri, adds to the list of some of the worst train disasters India has witnessed.

More than 300 lost their lives in the recent triple train crash reported in Odisha's Balasore. Read more...

Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has reached Bagdogra airport. The Minister did not speak to the media waiting at the Bagdogra airport. He took a car to reach Rangapani, which was about 15 km from the airport. He was seen switching from the car to a two-wheeler as the narrow mud road became unmotorable for the vehicle he took. He proceeded by motorcycle, riding pillion to reach the Kanchenjunga Express train accident site in Siliguri district.

At least 19 trains cancelled after the Kanchenjunga Express train met with an accident in the Phansidewa area of the Darjeeling district, West Bengal. Among the cancelled trains are 19602 New Jalpaiguri-Udaipur Weekly Express, 20503 Dibugrah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, 12423 Dibrugarh-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, 01666- Agartala-Rani Kamalapati Special Trains, 12377 Sealdah-New Alipurduar Padatik Express.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi offered his condolences to the bereaved families of those killed in the West Bengal train accident. The Congress leader blamed the Modi government for mismanagement, leading to such mishaps.

"The news of the death of many people due to the accident of Kanchenjunga Express in West Bengal is extremely sad. I express my deepest condolences to all the bereaved families and hope for the speedy recovery of the injured. The government should immediately provide full compensation to all the victims or their families," he said, asking Congress workers to assist in relief and rescue efforts.

He said there was an increase in railway accidents in the past decade and tied it to the "mismanagement and negligence of the Modi government."

"This results in loss of lives and property of passengers on a daily basis," he said, adding that today's accident was another example of it. "As a responsible opposition, we will continue to question the Modi government and hold it accountable for the blatant negligence and accidents," he wrote in Hindi, on his X handle.

Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who termed the train mishap an unfortunate accident in NFR zone and said rescue operations are going on at war footing as railways, NDRF and SDRF are working in close coordination, also added that enhanced ex-gratia compensation will be provided to the victims. He said Rs 10 Lakh will be provided next to kin in case of death, Rs 2.5 Lakh towards grievously injured persons and Rs 50,000 for those with minor injuries.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has expressed his condolences to the bereaved families that are devastated in the West Bengal train accident. He also wished the injured a speedy recovery.

"The train accident that happened in New Jalpaiguri, West Bengal is very sad. I express my condolences to those who lost their family members in this unfortunate accident and wish for the speedy recovery of the injured," the Home Minister wrote in Hindi and Bangla on his X handle.

Railways has set up a special helpline booth at Sealdah Station following a rear-end collision involving the Kanchanjunga Express near New Jalpaiguri Station.

The helpline numbers issued by Railway Ministry are:

• Sealdah
  033-23508794 | 033-23833326
• GHY Station
  03612731621 | 03612731622 | 03612731623
• KIR STATION
  6287801805
• Katihar
  09002041952 | 9771441956
• LMG
  03674263958 | 03674263831 | 03674263120 | 03674263126 | 03674263858

More helpline numbers announced by the Railways can be found in the attached picture.

At least 15 people were killed, and around 60 more were injured in the mishap involving the Kanchanjunga Express near West Bengal's Rangapani station.

PTI quoted a police official and wrote, "At least 15 people have died in the accident till now and 60 suffered injuries."

The injured and the deceased are from the rear compartments of the express train that derailed when the goods train's locomotive rammed from behind.

According to police, rescue operations are underway at the accident spot, which they said is about 30 km from the New Jalpaiguri station in North Bengal. The injured are being admitted to the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital and treated for their injuries. Read More...

The casualty figure in the Rangapani Train accident has climbed to seven, which includes the driver of the goods train.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is rushing to the accident spot. She is scheduled to reach Siliguri by 1.30pm and is expected to visit North Bengal Medical College and Hospital. She is also expected to visit the accident site. She will take stock of the rescue efforts from the site and will interact with those injured. She will also meet the families of the injured and the bereaved.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was saddened by the train accident reported in West Bengal. He said he has spoken to the officials and had taken stock of the situation, adding that the Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw was on his way to the mishap site.

"The railway accident in West Bengal is saddening. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest. Spoke to officials and took stock of the situation. Rescue operations are underway to assist the affected," PM Modi wrote on X.

In the Rangapani train accident, the locomotive of the goods train that rammed in the rear of the Kanchenjunga Express train might not have had the "Kavach" installed, according to former Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi. Trivedi also said it is really too early to talk about the cause of the accident.

"In modern times, it requires an inquiry and deep corrections to prevent such things from recurring. What could have happened, we can only guess. But we should wait for the inquiry report and take corrective actions," he told ANI. He said, "I am guessing, possibly, this engine did not have 'Kavach'," adding that he had no doubt that the government will take corrective action.

'Kavach' is an automatic train protection (ATP) system. Trivedi had served as Minister of Railways in the Manmohan Singh's cabinet in 2011-2012.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has left Delhi to the accident site in West Bengal, where he will take stock of rescue and relief measures underway after several passengers were killed after a goods train collided rear ended the Kanchanjunga Express near New Jalpaiguri.

"Unfortunate accident in NFR zone. Rescue operations going on at war footing. Railways, NDRF and SDRF are working in close coordination. Injured are being shifted to the hospital. Senior officials have reached site," Vaishnaw wrote from his official handle on X.

Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu said, "A tragic accident has occurred in the NFR zone. Swift rescue operations are underway with coordinated efforts from Railways, NDRF, and SDRF. The injured are being quickly moved to hospitals. Senior officials are on-site to supervise."

Preliminary reports from the accident site say five persons were killed and about 30 others were injured after the goods train rear-ended the Kanchanjunga Express. According to police, rescue operations are being carried out. The accident site is about seven km from the New Jalpaiguri station, which is located in North Bengal. The passengers who were rescued were being carried to the hospitals in the vicinity.

"Five persons have died in the accident till now and around 30 people suffered injuries, which are not fatal," Abhishek Roy, Additional Superintendent of Police, Darjeeling told ETV Bharat. According to the official, three rear compartments of the Express derailed when the goods train's locomotive hit the former from behind.

The accident's death toll has been revised to nine, on Monday night, according to the government machinery. The ill-fated Kanchanjunga Express Train which was rear ended by a goods train was moved from the accident site, late in the night.

Here is a quick wrap from the accident and the related developments in 10 Points:

1. Preliminary reports said five were pulled out as corpses from the mangled coaches of the Kanchanjunga Express that was hit by the locomotive of a goods train on Monday. The accident occurred near Rangapani station, about 30 km from New Jalpaiguri station, at 8.55 am. The hit triggered derailment of four rear compartments - including two parcel vans and a guard van - of the Kanchanjunga Express.
2. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw left for the accident site where he took stock of relief and rescue operations, and restoration of the mainline where the accident occurred.
3. Rescue operations concluded by late afternoon, according to Ashwini Vaishnaw. Efforts to restore train services by removing the derailed and mangled coaches of the affected trains from the area were continued late into the night.
4. Railway sources claimed that the accident could have been a possible "human error" on part of the goods train Loco Pilot. Sources claimed that the collision occurred since the goods train driver disregarded the signal.
5. 'Kavach' or anti-train collision system could not have been present in the route, where the accident took place, said former Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi. Later, the Railways clarified that 'Kavach' was not installed in the affected Guwahati-Delhi route.
6. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the deceased victims, referring to the accident as tragic and adding that he will keep those injured in his prayers for a swift recovery.
7. Vaishnaw reached Bagdogra airport, from where he took a car to reach Rangapani, before riding a two-wheeler for the last mile connectivity. After site inspection, he said the rescue efforts are over and focus is on restoration of the mainline. He also announced an enhanced compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of the deceased, Rs 2.5 lakh for grievous injuries and Rs 50,000 for minor injuries.
8. According to Vaishnaw, the Commissioner of Railway Safety was probing the cause of the accident. He assured that steps were on to stop such things from recurring.
9. Sources said the Express was stationary when it was struck and that the goods train had permission to jump all red signals due to "signal failure." Railways later charged that the goods train Loco Pilot violated the protocol for signal failure by exceeding the permissible speed limit.
10. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Governor CV Ananda Bose visited the injured. Mamata accused the railways of having become "totally parentless", focussed on driving the fares up without improving passenger amenities. Bose said this is a time of relief and not of playing blame games.

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose met the injured of the Kanchenjunga Express train accident at North Bengal Medical College in Siliguri and said that all stakeholders should stand together in the hour of crisis. "I saw the patients and discussed with the doctors, the situation is under control. They are being given the best treatment. They are being given the best medical facilities. This is a tragedy in which we will all stand together. All steps will be taken for the rehabilitation of those admitted to the hospital," Bose told reporters after meeting the injured on Monday. The Governor asked all stakeholders to stand together in the hour of crisis.

At least nine persons were killed and 41 others injured after the ill-fated Kanchenjunga Express met with an accident on Monday.

Union Minister and West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar met the injured at the North Bengal Medical College in Siliguri. At least nine persons were killed and 41 others injured after the Kanchenjunga Express met with an accident on Monday morning. Earlier in the day, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw visited the accident spot in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal and announced a probe into the mishap.

Passengers who were onboard the ill-fate Kanchanjunga Express recalled the horrendous incident. According to a passenger, the train stopped abruptly with a sharp jerk accompanied by a loud sound. Upon disembarking, he saw that the goods train had hit their rake from behind.

"We were having tea when the train stopped suddenly with a jerk," he said. A pregnant woman, travelling with her family, said she fell off her seat upon impact. "It felt like an earthquake. It took us some time to collect ourselves and understand what happened," she said, sitting with her family in one of the air-conditioned sleeper coaches.

A passenger from Agartala, who was in coach number S6, said he felt a sudden jerk and the compartment screeched to a halt. "My wife, child and I somehow managed to come out of the mangled coach. We are currently stranded... The rescue operations also started quite late," the passenger told a television channel.

The Railways' Kavach' or anti-train collision system was not in place along the Guwahati-Delhi route, where a goods train collided with the Sealdah Kanchanjunga Express in the rear on Monday. Chairperson of the Railway Board Jaya Varma Sinha said that Kavach, an automatic anti-collision train protection system, is being planned for the route. "It is not there right now," she said.

At least 15 people were killed and several others injured after the Sealdah Kanchanjunga Express met with an accident.

The following trains are being diverted due to the accident of train no. 13174 Down Agartala - Sealdah Kanchanjungha Express between Rangapani and Chatterhat stations under the Katihar division of North Frontier Railway.
Diversion of trains via New Jalpaiguri, Siliguri Junction, Bagdogra & Aluabari Road route and vice versa:
1. 06105 Nagercoil Jn.- Dibrugarh Special of 14.06.24
2. 15910 Lalgarh- Dibrugarh Avadh Assam Express of 15.06.24
3. 15667 Gandhidham- Kamakhya Express of 15.06.24
4. 22503 Kanyakumari- Dibrugarh Express of 15.06.24
5. 12524 New Delhi- New Jalpaiguri Express of 16.06.24
6. 22412 Anand Vihar Terminal- Naharlagun Express of 16.06.24
7. 02526 Anand Vihar Terminal- Kamakhya Express of 16.06.24
8. 01095 Manmad Jn.- Guwahati Special of 16.06.24
9. 22450 New Delhi- Guwahati Express of 16.06.24
10. 12519 Lokmanya Tilak Terminus- Agartala Express of 16.06.24
11. 20503 Dibrugarh - New Delhi Rajdhani Express of 16.06.24.
12. 12423 Dibrugarh - New Delhi Rajdhani Express of 16.06.24
13. 01666 Agartala - Rani Kamlapati Special of 16.06.24
14. 12377 Sealdah- New Alipurduar Padatik Express of 16.06.24
15. 20506 New Delhi- Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express of 16.06.24.
16. 12424 New Delhi- Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express of 16.06.24
17. 22504 Dibrugarh - Kanyakumari Express of 16.06.24.
18. 19602 New Jalpaiguri - Udaipur City Weekly Express of 17.06.24
19. 22301 Howrah- New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express of 17.06.24.
20. 12346 Guwahati- Howrah Saraighat Express of 17.06.24.
21. 12505 Kamakhya- Anand Vihar (T) Northeast Express of 17.06.24.
22. 12510 Guwahati- SMVT Bengaluru Express of 17.06.24.
23. 22302 New Jalpaiguri - Howrah Vande Bharat Express of 17.06.24.
24. 15620 Kamakhya Gaya Express of 17.06.24.
25. 15962 Dibrugarh - Howrah Kamrup Express of 17.06.24.
26. 15636 Guwahati - Okha Express of 17.06.24.
27. 15930 New Tinsukia - Tambaram Express of 17.06.24.
28. 13148 Bamanhat - Sealdah Uttar Banga Express of 17.06.24.
29. 13142 New Alipurduar - Sealdah Teesta Torsa Express of 17.06.24
30. 12344 Haldibari - Sealdah Darjeeling Mail of 17.06.24
31 12378 New Alipurduar - Sealdah Padatik Express of 17.06.24
32. 15651 Guwahati- Jammu Tawi Lohit Express of 17.06.24
33. 15658 Kamakhya- Delhi Brahmaputra Mail of 17.06.24
34. 13175 Sealdah - Silchar Kanchanjunga Express of 17.06.24
35. 13181 Kolkata - Silghat Town Express of 17.06.24
36. 12041 Howrah- New Jalpaiguri Shatabdi Express of 17.06.24
37. 22234 Patna Jn.- New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express of 17.06.24

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will on Monday visit the train accident site in New Jalpaiguri to take stock of relief operations. At least 15 passengers died and 60 others were injured after three rear coaches of the stationary Sealdah-bound Kanchanjunga Express derailed on Monday morning as a goods train collided with it in West Bengal's Darjeeling district.

"The chief minister is going to visit the accident spot in New Jalpaiguri to take stock of the relief operations," an official of the West Bengal government told news agency PTI. The three rear compartments derailed under the impact of the collision from behind by the locomotive of the goods train near Rangapani station, about 30 km from North Bengal's New Jalpaiguri station.

The Loco Pilot of the goods train that struck the rear-end of the ill-fated Kanchanjunga Express at Rangapani, near New Jalpaiguri Station was granted permission by the jurisdictional station master to cross all red signals, PTI reported quoting sources.

Between Ranipatra Railway Station and Chattar Hat Junction, the engine driver of the goods train had clearance to cross all red signals as the automatic signalling had "failed", internal documents show. The driver was issued a written authority called TA 912 by the Ranipatra Station Master(SM), authorising him to cross all red signals.

"Automatic Signalling has failed and you are hereby authorized to pass all automatic signals between RNI (Ranipatra Railway Station) and CAT (Chattar Hat Junction)," the authority letter issued by the SM, read. Read More...

Passengers from the ill-fated Kanchanjunga Express Train said a scheduled operational procedure, involving a direction reversal of the rake, for trains passing through Assam's Lumding station, became life-altering for many. The direction reversal at Lumding resulted in the coaches being interchanged to the front and rear ends of the 13174 Agartala-Sealdah Kanchanjunga Express on Monday. For many passengers, it was a life-altering event, after a goods train hit the train they were in from behind at Rangapani, near New Jalpaiguri, in North Bengal. Read More...

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who reached the Kanchanjunga Express accident site, said a Railway Safety Commission will probe the cause of the accident. He assured that adequate preventive measures will be taken to prevent recurrence.

"A complete probe will be carried out by a Commission of Railway Safety," Vaishnaw said, adding that the rescue operations have concluded.

The Minister said the focus has now shifted to restoration of the line. "This is the main line," he said. "The Railways will identify the cause of the accident and will take adequate preventive measures in the future to prevent recurrence," Vaishnaw added.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has expressed her solidarity with the Railway employees and officials, saying that the ruling government and the railway ministry is only bothered about winning the election. She wondered how far one will go for hacking the election and for manipulation.

She said, "They (the Railway Ministry) don't care about passenger amenities. They don't even care about railway officials, railway engineers, railway technical staff and workers."

She said the railway personnel were undergoing troubles, since their old pension scheme had been scrapped by the ministry and government. "They are in trouble. I'm completely with the railway employees and railway officials. They are trying their best," ANI quoted the CM as saying.

She accused the union government of only being worried about the election. "How to go for hacking, how to go for manipulation, how to rig the election," she said, would be the most questions they might ponder over.

She suggested the government and ministry to focus on their governance, rather.

She also accused the railways of having had become "totally parentless" and focusing on raising fares but not on improving passenger amenities.

The ill-fated Kanchanjunga Express Train's accident has highlighted the travel safety issues in Indian trains and the need to utilise technology to improve passenger safety. The goods train that rammed into the rear guard van and threw a couple of parcel vans of the express train near Rangapani station in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri, adds to the list of some of the worst train disasters India has witnessed.

More than 300 lost their lives in the recent triple train crash reported in Odisha's Balasore. Read more...

Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has reached Bagdogra airport. The Minister did not speak to the media waiting at the Bagdogra airport. He took a car to reach Rangapani, which was about 15 km from the airport. He was seen switching from the car to a two-wheeler as the narrow mud road became unmotorable for the vehicle he took. He proceeded by motorcycle, riding pillion to reach the Kanchenjunga Express train accident site in Siliguri district.

At least 19 trains cancelled after the Kanchenjunga Express train met with an accident in the Phansidewa area of the Darjeeling district, West Bengal. Among the cancelled trains are 19602 New Jalpaiguri-Udaipur Weekly Express, 20503 Dibugrah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, 12423 Dibrugarh-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, 01666- Agartala-Rani Kamalapati Special Trains, 12377 Sealdah-New Alipurduar Padatik Express.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi offered his condolences to the bereaved families of those killed in the West Bengal train accident. The Congress leader blamed the Modi government for mismanagement, leading to such mishaps.

"The news of the death of many people due to the accident of Kanchenjunga Express in West Bengal is extremely sad. I express my deepest condolences to all the bereaved families and hope for the speedy recovery of the injured. The government should immediately provide full compensation to all the victims or their families," he said, asking Congress workers to assist in relief and rescue efforts.

He said there was an increase in railway accidents in the past decade and tied it to the "mismanagement and negligence of the Modi government."

"This results in loss of lives and property of passengers on a daily basis," he said, adding that today's accident was another example of it. "As a responsible opposition, we will continue to question the Modi government and hold it accountable for the blatant negligence and accidents," he wrote in Hindi, on his X handle.

Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who termed the train mishap an unfortunate accident in NFR zone and said rescue operations are going on at war footing as railways, NDRF and SDRF are working in close coordination, also added that enhanced ex-gratia compensation will be provided to the victims. He said Rs 10 Lakh will be provided next to kin in case of death, Rs 2.5 Lakh towards grievously injured persons and Rs 50,000 for those with minor injuries.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has expressed his condolences to the bereaved families that are devastated in the West Bengal train accident. He also wished the injured a speedy recovery.

"The train accident that happened in New Jalpaiguri, West Bengal is very sad. I express my condolences to those who lost their family members in this unfortunate accident and wish for the speedy recovery of the injured," the Home Minister wrote in Hindi and Bangla on his X handle.

Railways has set up a special helpline booth at Sealdah Station following a rear-end collision involving the Kanchanjunga Express near New Jalpaiguri Station.

The helpline numbers issued by Railway Ministry are:

• Sealdah
  033-23508794 | 033-23833326
• GHY Station
  03612731621 | 03612731622 | 03612731623
• KIR STATION
  6287801805
• Katihar
  09002041952 | 9771441956
• LMG
  03674263958 | 03674263831 | 03674263120 | 03674263126 | 03674263858

More helpline numbers announced by the Railways can be found in the attached picture.

At least 15 people were killed, and around 60 more were injured in the mishap involving the Kanchanjunga Express near West Bengal's Rangapani station.

PTI quoted a police official and wrote, "At least 15 people have died in the accident till now and 60 suffered injuries."

The injured and the deceased are from the rear compartments of the express train that derailed when the goods train's locomotive rammed from behind.

According to police, rescue operations are underway at the accident spot, which they said is about 30 km from the New Jalpaiguri station in North Bengal. The injured are being admitted to the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital and treated for their injuries. Read More...

The casualty figure in the Rangapani Train accident has climbed to seven, which includes the driver of the goods train.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is rushing to the accident spot. She is scheduled to reach Siliguri by 1.30pm and is expected to visit North Bengal Medical College and Hospital. She is also expected to visit the accident site. She will take stock of the rescue efforts from the site and will interact with those injured. She will also meet the families of the injured and the bereaved.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was saddened by the train accident reported in West Bengal. He said he has spoken to the officials and had taken stock of the situation, adding that the Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw was on his way to the mishap site.

"The railway accident in West Bengal is saddening. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest. Spoke to officials and took stock of the situation. Rescue operations are underway to assist the affected," PM Modi wrote on X.

In the Rangapani train accident, the locomotive of the goods train that rammed in the rear of the Kanchenjunga Express train might not have had the "Kavach" installed, according to former Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi. Trivedi also said it is really too early to talk about the cause of the accident.

"In modern times, it requires an inquiry and deep corrections to prevent such things from recurring. What could have happened, we can only guess. But we should wait for the inquiry report and take corrective actions," he told ANI. He said, "I am guessing, possibly, this engine did not have 'Kavach'," adding that he had no doubt that the government will take corrective action.

'Kavach' is an automatic train protection (ATP) system. Trivedi had served as Minister of Railways in the Manmohan Singh's cabinet in 2011-2012.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has left Delhi to the accident site in West Bengal, where he will take stock of rescue and relief measures underway after several passengers were killed after a goods train collided rear ended the Kanchanjunga Express near New Jalpaiguri.

"Unfortunate accident in NFR zone. Rescue operations going on at war footing. Railways, NDRF and SDRF are working in close coordination. Injured are being shifted to the hospital. Senior officials have reached site," Vaishnaw wrote from his official handle on X.

Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu said, "A tragic accident has occurred in the NFR zone. Swift rescue operations are underway with coordinated efforts from Railways, NDRF, and SDRF. The injured are being quickly moved to hospitals. Senior officials are on-site to supervise."

Preliminary reports from the accident site say five persons were killed and about 30 others were injured after the goods train rear-ended the Kanchanjunga Express. According to police, rescue operations are being carried out. The accident site is about seven km from the New Jalpaiguri station, which is located in North Bengal. The passengers who were rescued were being carried to the hospitals in the vicinity.

"Five persons have died in the accident till now and around 30 people suffered injuries, which are not fatal," Abhishek Roy, Additional Superintendent of Police, Darjeeling told ETV Bharat. According to the official, three rear compartments of the Express derailed when the goods train's locomotive hit the former from behind.