Several people have been injured after two trains collided at the Kavheguda railway station in Hyderabad on Monday morning. Two slow-moving trains collided at Kacheguda Railway station here on Monday, leaving 16 people injured, including a driver who was trapped in his badly mangled cabin for eight hours.
The Lingampalli-Falaknuma multi-modal transport system (MMTS) apparently overshot the signal and collided with the Kurnool-Secunderabad Hundry Intercity Express (17028) at 10.41 am. The CCTV footage of the collision between Lingampalli-Falaknuma train & Kurnool City-Secunderabad Hundry Express at Kacheguda railway station is now doing rounds on social media.
The video shows the two trains moving towards each other on the same track, before ramming into each other. The impact of the collision was such that it lifted several bogies of the MMTS trains off the tracks. Later, passengers are seen running out of the derailed train after the accident.
According to the News Minute, though technical error in signalling system was initially believed to have caused the accident, South Central Railway officials later ruled out the possibility. They blamed human error for the collision, with preliminary investigation revealing it was the MMTS locopilot’s fault.
As per the report, the South Central Railway has said that the MMTS train that was travelling from Lingampally to Falaknuma was on Platform 2 of Kacheguda Station. Per the schedule, once the Hundry Express (from Secunderabad to Kurnool) reached the station, it would be taken on Platform 4 and then the MMTS train would be given the signal to depart. The Hundry Express train was given the signal and was entering the station. However, the loco pilot of the MMTS train also started moving, although it was given the signal.
The driver of the MMTS train, who sustained serious injuries, was initially trapped in his cabin, which was badly mangled, but was rescued after a couple of hours. Oxygen and other life-saving medical aid were provided to him during the operation, they said adding he has suffered severe leg injuries. He was rushed to a private hospital, where his condition is stated to be stable.
Several train services were cancelled either fully or partially due to the incident. Railways said that it had taken the accident very seriously and Member (Traction), Additional Member (Signal & Telecom) and Executive Director, Safety, Railway Board will visit the site.
A high-level inquiry at the level of Commissioner, Railway Safety, South Central circle, has been ordered to investigate into the reasons for the incident, a railway release said. Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy visited the spot and made enquiries with the officials. The Railway Ministry has announced ex-gratia of Rs 5,000 each to passengers with minor injuries and Rs 25,000 each to passengers having grievous injuries.
(Inputs from PTI)
