10 dead as Bengaluru-Ernakulam train derails

 

Railway sources said that nine coaches of the Bengaluru-Ernakulam train derailed causing the accident on Friday. Photo: N. Bashkaran

Nearly 100 passengers injured after the Ernakulam-bound train from Bengaluru toppled near Belagondapalli village, near Hosur on Friday.

In an early morning train accident near Bengaluru, 10 passengers died and many were injured after several coaches of the Ernakulam-bound Bengaluru City-Ernakulam Intercity express (Train no. 12677) derailed on the city's outskirts. Earlier reports said 12 people had been killed in the accident. 

The accident has been reported at Belagondapalli near Anekal town on the city's outskirts around 7.35 a.m. 

Railway sources said that nine coaches derailed causing the accident. A senior railway official said, "Initial reports suggest a boulder may have fallen on the track." 

“The railway safety commissioners inquiry report into the incident will be taken seriously and stringent action will be taken if any individual is found culpable. Railway safety has been our prime focus and it will remain so. Based on the report, care will be taken to correct any anomaly that led to this accident. Railways will bear all medical expenses of all injured so that they get back to their normal self as early as possible.” 

He visited Sparsh Hospital to meet six patients and announced and enhanced ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh for the deceased, Rs. 50,000 for grievously injured and Rs. 25,000 for minor injuries.

Railway sources said that the three bodies have been removed from the coach and are yet to be identified. According to railway sources, D-7 and D-8 general compartment coaches are the worst affected and initial investigations reveal that the train may have come to an abrupt halt that has led to derailment of nine coaches. 

Sources pointed out that the section between Anekal and Hosur was a slow section and was also a part of elephant corridor and hence trains moved slowly. However, the reasons could be established only after the technical team completed its probe. 

Meanwhile, many injured, numbers that are still not known clearly, have been rushed to the nearby Narayana Hrudayalaya, Anekal General Hospital and Sparsh Hospital. 

Heavy equipment are being summoned from Erode to remove the mangled remains on Anekal road and Hosur line of the Bengaluru-Salem section. The accident site is about 15 km from Tamil Nadu border. 

Ernakulam Area Manager of Southern Railway Rajesh Chandran said that the names and addresses of the victims are yet to be ascertained. 

Help desk @ Bangalore city railway station:

080 - 22371166/ 22156553/ 22156554

Control rooom numbers:

9731666751; 2337111666; 22942666.

Ernakulam junction:

0484-2100317, 0813699773, 09539336040

Thiruvananthapuram:

0471-2321205, 2321237, 09746769960

Ernakulam town:

0484-2398200

Aluva:

0484-2624143

Trichur:

0487-2424148, 2430060

Bangalore City:

BSNL Nos.: 080-22371166, 080-22156553, 080-22156554

Mobile Nos.:

9731666751

At accident site:

9448090599

The Ernakulam-bound train, a daily train, left Bengaluru city railway station at 6.15 a.m. 

About seven ambulances from Tamil Nadu and 10 from Karnataka have been dispatched to tackle the emergency situation. 

The derailed coaches are D-8, D-9, D-10, D-11, two AC Chair Cars and two unreserved coaches, railway sources said. Unconfirmed reports say the locomotive of the train also caught fire and that the pantry car rammed into the adjacent D-8 coach. 

According to the railway chart, there were 94 passengers who occupied 108 seats in the D-8 coach. Of this, three seats were not booked and 11 passengers were to board the train at Hosur. 

Keralites depend mainly on the day train that reaches Ernakulam junction at 4.55 p.m. The fatalities and injures were reported more among those travelling in D-8 coach. Over 60 Keralites were in the coach and the train is mostly used by those in the northern districts of Kerala for commuting. 

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has asked the Minister for Power and Railways Aryadan Mohammed to rush to the spot. Mr. Mohammed, Malappuram collector K. Biju and Inspector General of Police (Ernakulam Range) Ajith Kumar have left for Bangalore. They will reach Bangalore by noon and leave for the accident site from there. 

NORKA official in Bangalore Tresa Thomas is reaching the accident site. State government officials in Thiruvananthapuram can be reached on 0471-2331639 for assistance, an official release said.

Nagercoil Express coming towards Bangalore City, which was near the accident spot, will now operate as a special train to Ernakulam and will take passengers from the Bangalore-Ernakulam Inter City Express. 

Coimbatore-Kurla (Train no. 11014) which left Coimbatore on Friday morning is being diverted from Salem. It will go via Tirupattur and Bangarpet. 

According to railway sources, the trains (YPR-Kannur, Mysore-Mayiladuthurai and Mysore-Tuticorin Express) on the Hosur-Dharmapuri route will today go through the Bangarpet-Tirupathur route. 

The Bangalore-Dharmapuri (Train No. 76553) has been cancelled for today.