Coromandel Express went on wrong track minutes before accident, say officials

The Coromandel express train running at a speed of 127 km/per hour collided with a goods train and derailed on the main line, an official said

Updated on: Jun 3, 2023, 13:16:27 IST

By Ritesh Mishra, Debabrata Mohanty

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

The Coromandel Express train accident in Balasore district of Odisha, in which close to 300 persons have died, may have been the result of human error since the train took the wrong track minutes before the tragedy, according to initial reports from the signalling control room of the railways.

Close to 300 persons have died in the Coromandel Express train accident in Odisha’s Balasore district. (PTI Photo)

To be sure, the cause of the accident will only be identified after a thorough examination.

According to a video from the signalling control room of Kharagpur division of the Railways, the Chennai-bound Coromandel Express derailed on the main line and hit the goods train parked on the loop line just after crossing Bahanagar Bazar station at about 6.55pm on Friday.

HT has seen the video, which shows four railway tracks including two main lines and two loop lines.

Also Read |Odisha mishap third major train accident in 3 decades; A look at past incidents

The Coromandel Express, running at about 127 km per hour, collided with the goods train and derailed on the main line, an official from the railway ministry said. Within minutes of the collision, the official cited above said that the Howrah-bound Yashwantnagar Express coming from the opposite side collided with the Coromandel Express.

“How it happened and why it happened, will be found in the detailed inquiry that the railway board has ordered. But, prima facie it appears to be a human error,” the official, who asked not to be named, said.

According to the same official, a similar accident occurred in 1995 in Firozabad in Uttar Pradesh, where three trains collided. Around 350 persons were killed in that accident and the rescue operations went on for three days.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More
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

Follow India news real-time updates and the latest news covered on Hindustan Times, featuring today's critical updates on Sonam Wangchuk LIVE and more across India.