Ujjaini Express derailment
Rishikesh: Rescue and restoration operations continued on Tuesday after three coaches of the Ujjaini Express derailed near Khand Gaon Visthapit in Rishikesh late Monday night. Railway teams worked through the night to remove damaged coaches and restore the affected rail route.
According to officials, the incident occurred around 9:30 pm near Yog Nagari Railway Station during a shunting movement in the railway yard. Fortunately, the train was completely empty at the time of the accident, and no injuries or casualties were reported.
Railway authorities deployed heavy cranes to lift and remove the severely damaged coaches from the tracks. The restoration team also brought down the damaged compartments to the ground to speed up the clearance process.
Officials from the Moradabad Division of Northern Railway said continuous efforts are being made to restore normal rail operations in the area as quickly as possible.
Preliminary findings suggest that the derailment may have been caused by a brake failure during routine maintenance operations. However, railway authorities said the exact cause of the accident is yet to be officially confirmed.
Questions have also been raised over the movement of the train during maintenance work. Reports claimed that senior railway officials reached the accident site nearly two and a half hours after the derailment.
Following the incident, a large crowd gathered near the tracks, after which personnel from the Government Railway Police (GRP) cleared the area and took control of the site.
The Railway Department has launched an investigation into the derailment, and further inquiries are currently underway.
