Five wagons of a goods train derailed near the New Maynaguri station in Jalpaiguri district early on Tuesday.
As the wagons were empty, no injury or casualty has been reported so far.
The accident, however, partially disrupted train movement in the region as some trains were diverted to alternative routes. In the past two months, this is the third incident of goods train derailment in north Bengal.
Shanta Barman, a resident of Betgara, a village located barely a kilometre away from New Maynaguri station, said they heard a loud thud around 6.30am. “We rushed to the tracks and found some wagons of a freight train scattered in the locality. Some electric poles also got uprooted and the power cables got snapped,” said Barman.
Sources in the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) and locals said the goods train was coming from Alipurduar and heading towards New Jalpaiguri. After crossing the New Maynaguri station, five wagons went off the tracks.
“The empty wagons that derailed moved 100 metres off the track. These wagons also uprooted at least three electric poles,” said
a source.
In recent months, this is the third incident of a freight train derailment in north Bengal, the other two on July 31 at Rangapani station and on August 9 near Kumedpur station.
Tuesday’s derailment caused massive damage to the electric poles and power cables, said Anil Kumar Gupta, the senior section engineer (electric) of the NFR who reached the spot.
Amarjit Gautam, the divisional railway manager of NFR’s Alipurduar division, who also reached the spot, said train services were disrupted for some time.
The railways had to halt a couple of passenger trains at different stations. The Guwahati-bound Kamrup Express was stopped at Raninagar near Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar-bound Uttarbanga Express was stopped at NJP.
Along the route that connects Northeast, railway movement resumed around 10.30am.
K.K. Sharma, the chief public relations officer of NFR, said that the derailment of five wagons of the empty goods train took place near New Maynaguri station at 6.26am.
“Trains have been diverted through alternate routes and movement has not been affected. Senior officers, including the DRM of Alipurduar, have moved to the site and restoration work is going on. It is a station with five lines and we could run trains through other tracks,” said Sharma.
The railways have initiated an inquiry to find out the cause of the derailment, sources said.
Mamata reacts
Tuesday’s derailment has prompted chief minister Mamata Banerjee to reacted to the recent incidents of derailment in the state.
“What is happening to the railways now? It has set a world record of derailment, but nobody is questioning it,” said Mamata.
Mamata was also critical of Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union minister of railways.
“When I used to run (the railway ministry), I had given projects worth ₹2 lakh crore for Bengal. But now incidents of derailment are happening frequently. The safety and security of people are in danger. But where is the railway minister? He seems to be visiting Bengal only ahead of the elections, seeking votes,” added the chief minister and Trinamool Congress supremo.