3 coaches of Secunderabad-Shalimar superfast express derail near Howrah

Slow speed during changing of track from middle to down line largely averted a major train accident even after three coaches, two passenger bogies and a parcel van, jumped the rails at Nalpur station of the weekly special of the Secunderabad-Shalimar Exp in Howrah district on Saturday morning, official sources said.

There had been no injury report of any passenger, South Eastern Railway spokesman Omprakash Charan confirmed. He said the derailment happened at Nalpur station between Baruria and Sankrail station,nearly 30 km northeast of Shalimar station, close to Howrah station, around 05-31 hours.

The wheels of the coaches jumped the rails while the Shalimar bound express train was changing the rails from middle to the down line, Charan maintained.

The accident relief trains from Santragachi and Kharagpur and medical relief trains have reached the derailment spot. Buses have been arranged to carry the stranded passengers to their destinations even as restoration of the track was underway, the South Eastern Railway said.

The help desk numbers of Shalimar (6295531471), Santragachi (9831243655), Kharagpur (63764 Railway), and Howrah (7595074714) stations are operational.(UNI)<>