Nagpur, Maharashtra: On Tuesday afternoon, two coaches of the 18029 Shalimar Express derailed near Kalamna yard while traveling from Nagpur to Gondia. Fortunately, the train was moving at a slow speed, preventing any injuries or casualties, as confirmed by railway officials.
The train had arrived at Nagpur station from Mumbai earlier that day and continued its journey after a brief stop at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Itwari Railway Station. The derailment occurred around 2:30 pm, affecting the parcel coach and sleeper coach S-2, which is located directly behind the engine, leaving passengers shaken.
Suspected Technical Issue
An officer from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) stated that the cause of the derailment is still under investigation, but initial assessments suggest a technical fault rather than a deliberate act. “We will have more information after the railway investigation, but for now, our focus is on restoring normal operations,” the official said.
Despite the panic among passengers, railway staff responded quickly. Several senior officials, including Divisional Manager Namita Tripathi, arrived on-site promptly to oversee the situation. Relief operations commenced immediately, and by 6:35 pm, efforts to clear the damaged coaches were nearing completion. Officials announced that the train would resume its journey after attaching alternate coaches by 7:30 pm.
Train Services Affected
In the wake of the incident, several trains were either halted or rerouted, including the Puri-Gandhidham Express, Vidarbha Superfast Express, and Puri-Ajmer Superfast Express. The Kolhapur-Gondia Maharashtra Express was redirected via Kalamna instead of Itwari.
Railway helplines have been established at various stations, including Itwari, Gondia, Dongargarh, and Rajnandgaon, to assist and provide information to passengers’ families. Despite the disruption, officials reassured that no one was harmed during the derailment, largely due to the train’s slow speed at the time of the incident.
