Avijit Biswas
Bhagalpur: In a head on collision of two goods train in National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) operated merry go round private railway line connecting Kahalgaon and Farakka thermal power plants of NTPC, two loco staff were killed and four others were injured.
The accident occurred in early hours of Tuesday around 3 AM near Barhait village of Sahebganj district in Jharkhand approximately thirty-three kilometers from Farakka in West Bengal.
The cause of the accident though officially could not be ascertained from concerned NTPC authority however as per information the collision occurred as both the goods train came on same track due to mechanical failure. Of the goods trains involved in the accident while one of the trains was stationery with loaded rake the other had empty rake.
The Public Relation Officer (PRO), eastern railway, said as per information available from NTPC officials those killed in accident included a loco pilot and an assistant loco pilot. Both the victims were NTPC staff, he informed.
Eastern railway PRO categorically said the railway line on which accident occurred popularly referred as Lalmatia MGR line is a private railway line maintained and operated by NTPC. Indian railway is no way involved in maintenance and operation of Lalmatia MGR line, he added.
As per eastern railway press release following accident Malda division of eastern railway was approached by NTPC authorities for assistance in restoration of damaged track and resumption of services. The railways extending assistance to NTPC in restoration work has sent a 140-tone crane to accident site from Sahebganj in Malda division for clearing the track.
While work is in progress for early restoration of services on MGR line, an investigation is also underway to find out cause of accident, the eastern railway press note has added. Meanwhile those injured in the accident were sent to Malda for advanced treatment.
- Writer Avijit Biswas, former principal correspondent of Hindustan Times Bhagalpur bureau, can be contacted at biswasavijit@yahoo.comContact number (mobile): +919431095516
