Goods Train Derails On Private Track In Odisha's Bargarh. 'No Role Of Railways,' Says East Coast Railway

A goods train operated by a private cement company got derailed in Odisha's Bargarh. This incident comes 3 days after the tragic triple train accident in Balasore that claimed 275 lives.

Wagons of a goods train operated by a private cement company got derailed in Odisha's Bargarh on Monday. The train got derailed inside the factory premises near Mendhapali of Bargarh district. There is no role of Railways in this matter, East Coast Railway said on Monday. This is completely a narrow gauge siding of a private cement company. All the infrastructure including rolling stock, engine, wagons, and train tracks (narrow gauge) are being maintained by the company, East Coast Railway stated.

"There is a private narrow gauge rail line Between Dungri Limestone Mines And the Cement Plant Of Acc Bargarh. The line, wagons, and loco all are private. It is in no way connected with Indian Railway system. A derailment has happened in early morning today on that railway line. It is not at all connected with Indian railway system," a statement informed.

 Five bogies of the train carrying limestone derailed when it was en route to Bargarh from Dunguri, news agency PTI reported officials as saying. No injury or casualty was reported in the incident, they said. 

Earlier in the day, Odisha Vande Bharat Express crossed Bahanaga Bazar railway station after the restoration of tracks on Sunday. The train services resumed at Bahanaga Bazar railway station on Sunday night following the repair of the damaged tracks on both the up and down lines, 51 hours after the tragic triple train accident.

The Railways minister told ANI that the work on the reconstruction of the damaged tracks started soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent out instructions.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave his advice and instructions on the restoration of the railway tracks. The whole team (involved in the restoration work) laboured diligently and systematically to fix the damaged rails for the resumption of services," he said.

He added, "Services on both tracks have been restored. Nomal train services on both lines were restored 51 hours after the accident."

The triple train accident involved the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Coromandel Express, and a goods train on three separate tracks at Bahanaga Bazar station in the Balasore district.

Earlier, on Sunday, Vaishnaw said the accident occurred due to a "change in electronic interlocking".