Tragedy averted as train’s battery hits pole jutting out into track in Odisha

Officials said 22612 New Jalpaiguri-Chennai express almost derailed as the battery underneath the engine, which provides stand-alone power, fell off under the impact of the accident

Published on: Feb 22, 2025, 20:31:09 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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Bhubaneswar: An express train going to Chennai from New Jalpaiguri station of West Bengal had a narrow escape when the battery box underneath its engine fell off after it collided with a small electric pole jutting out into the track during a track-laying work at Belsabira near Sabira railway station in Odisha’s Balasore district on Saturday afternoon.

Officials said a tragedy was averted due to the alertness and presence of mind of the loco pilot.

Officials said 22612 New Jalpaiguri-Chennai express almost derailed as the battery underneath the engine, which provides stand-alone power, fell off under the impact of the accident.

“The battery box of the engine fell off at around 2.42 pm. The train was moving at high speed when the battery of the engine fell off. Thanks to the loco pilot who pressed the emergency brake,” said an official of Southeastern Railways. “Due to the alertness and presence of mind of the loco pilot, lives of all the passengers were saved.”

The repair work of the battery box is going on and the train will move once it is completed.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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