Tamil Nadu Train Accident, A major train accident occurred on Friday night involving the Mysuru-Darbhanga Bagmati Express (Train No. 12578), which collided with a stationary goods train at Kavaraippettai railway station, near Chennai. The accident left 19 passengers injured, including three in critical condition, but no fatalities were reported. The injured passengers were immediately shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment.
What Caused the Train Derailment?
Tamil Nadu Train Accident happened around 8:30 pm on the Chennai-Gudur section, between Ponneri and Kavaraippettai stations. Initial investigations reveal that the Mysuru-Darbhanga Express was not supposed to enter the loop line, where the goods train was stationed. Despite the driver following the green signal for the main line, the train unexpectedly switched to the loop line and collided with the goods train from behind, causing 12 coaches to derail.
According to RN Singh, General Manager of Southern Railways, both the pilot and loco pilot escaped unhurt. He noted:
“The passenger train was supposed to pass via the main line… Despite signals indicating the main line, the train entered the loop line, hitting the goods train. Fortunately, there were no deaths, and the injured were taken to nearby hospitals immediately.”
What Prevented Fatalities?
Officials believe the absence of fatalities is largely due to the Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches used in the passenger train. LHB coaches are design with advance safety features compared to traditional Integral Coach Factory (ICF) coaches. Their features include:
- Anti-climbing mechanism: Prevents coaches from stacking upon each other during collisions.
- Air suspension with failure indication system: Enhances passenger comfort and safety.
- Corrosion-resistant shell: Adds durability and safety to the coach structure.
These technological advances have contributed to the modernization efforts by Indian Railways, which has manufactured over 31,000 LHB coaches in the past nine years. Production takes place at key facilities including RCF (Kapurthala), ICF (Chennai), and MCF (Rai Bareli). Indian Railways plans to adopt LHB coaches across more trains in the future to further improve safety.
Impact on Train Operations
The collision caused significant disruption to railway operations. Trains such as the Dhanbad-Alappuzha Express and the Jabalpur-Madurai Superfast Special were divert to alternative routes as authorities carrie out restoration work at the accident site.
Rahul Gandhi Criticizes the Government
The train accident has sparked political controversy, with Rahul Gandhi, senior Congress leader, criticizing the Indian Railways and the central government. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Gandhi compared the incident to the Balasore tragedy of June 2, 2023, which resulted in 290 deaths and over 900 injuries.
Gandhi wrote:
“The Mysuru-Darbhanga train accident mirrors the horrific Balasore accident. Despite many lives lost in numerous accidents, no lessons are learned. Accountability starts at the top. How many more families must be destroyed before this government wakes up?”
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Conclusion
Although the Tamil Nadu train accident caused significant injuries and disruption, the advanced LHB coaches likely prevented fatalities. The accident has raised concerns over railway safety protocols and reignited political debates about accountability. As the Indian Railways continues modernizing its infrastructure, preventing such incidents remains a critical challenge.
