Neelachal Express jumps track in Orissa

Bhubaneswar : Ten coaches of the Puri-New Delhi Neelachal Express jumped track in Orissa on Sunday, but the passengers had a providential escape as no one was hurt critically.

The derailment occurred after the New Delhi-bound train collided with a road roller near Bhadrak station between 3 and 4 pm, reports said.

“All the passengers are safe and unhurt,” said a railway spokesperson.

Reports said one passenger was wounded, but not too critically.

The incident occurred at an unmanned level crossing at Rambhila, about 10 km from Bhadrak railway station.

The accident affected train services on the Chennai-Howrah section.

Some trains were delayed owing to the derailment.

Referring to the incidents at unmanned level crossings, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee in her budget speech on Friday said the number of incidents have come down by 36% with the elimination of 1500 unmanned crossings, construction of 172 Railway Over Bridges (ROBs) and 240 Railway Under Bridges (RUBs)/subways.

She said the Railways has lowered the eligibility criteria for manning from 6,000 TVUs to 3,000 TVUs.

The Minister said efforts will be intensified in the coming year by eliminating the remaining eligible 2500 unmanned level crossings as well as construction of 200 ROBs and 325 RUBs/subways.

Mamata Banerjee said any other crossing required to be eliminated will also be taken up for conversion.