Three Coaches of Secunderabad-Shalimar Express Derail Near Howrah, Relief Ops Underway

Three coaches of the Secunderabad-Shalimar Superfast Express (Train No. 22850) derailed early Saturday morning near Nalpur Station in Howrah, West Bengal. The derailment occurred at 5:31 a.m., involving two passenger coaches and a parcel van, including the B1 coach, while the train was transitioning from the middle line to the down line. South Eastern Railway's Chief Public Relations Officer Omprakash Charan confirmed there were no injuries or fatalities.

In response to the derailment, accident relief trains and medical assistance were promptly dispatched from nearby Santragachi and Kharagpur stations. "At 5:31 a.m., the Secunderabad-Shalimar Weekly Express train derailed while going from the middle line to the down line. One parcel van and two passenger coaches have derailed. No major injury or casualty has been reported," Charan stated.

Authorities organized around ten buses to ensure passengers could continue their journey to Kolkata with minimal disruption. As per Om Prakash Charan, buses were immediately made available to ferry passengers from the derailment site to their destinations.

The incident has reignited concerns over rail safety, as data from Indian Railways reveals that in the past five years, 351 people have lost their lives, and 970 were injured in 200 consequential railway accidents.