Bhubaneswar: October 30: Yet another collision between two trains resulted in 14 fatalities and over 50 injuries. This has occurred in the Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh near Kantakapali junction in the Kothavalasa’mandal’ block, which is 150 kilometres from Odisha.
The collision between the Visakhapatnam-Palasa passenger train and the Visakhapatnam-Rayagada passenger train was exacerbated by derailed coaches colliding with a goods train on an adjacent track.
This reminds us of the horrifying train accident in Odisha nearly five months ago.
According to railway officials, the collision was caused by the Visakhapatnam-Rayagada passenger train overshooting the Signal. They stated that human error is most likely to blame for the catastrophe.
In a triple train catastrophe that occurred near the Bahanaga Bazar station in the Balasore district of Odisha just five months ago, 295 people were killed and dozens were injured. The Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express entered the loop line instead of the main line, colliding with a stationary goods train. The collision was so severe that coaches of the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express derailed from the adjacent track.
Railway officials stated that errors in the signalling-circuit-alteration at North Signal Goomty station led to the Coromandel Express entering the loop line, which caused the rear-end collision.
In the Vizianagaram district accident on Sunday, Visakhapatnam-Rayagada (08504) collided with Visakhapatnam-Palasa (08532), which was waiting for a signal. The collision severely damaged the locomotive of the Rayagada passenger train and the guard coach of the Palasa passenger train. As a result of the collision, a couple of Rayagada train coaches clambered onto the locomotive. Then, these coaches collided with a passing goods train on the adjacent track.
Additionally, two coaches of the Palasa train collided with the goods train. Eight coaches from two passenger trains and one goods train were engaged in the collision.
These two passenger trains carried roughly 1,400 passengers. As the accident location was five kilometres from the Vizianagaram-Kothavalasa highway, it was difficult for rescue workers to transport the injured to ambulances. The rescue efforts of police, local authorities, and railway personnel were impeded by the darkness.
