8 Dead, 14 Injured as Passenger Train Collides with Goods Train in Chhattisgarh’s Bilaspur.

Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh):

At least eight people were killed and 14 others injured after a passenger train rammed into a goods train from behind near Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh on Monday evening, officials said.

The tragic accident occurred around 4 p.m. when the Bilaspur-bound DEMU (Diesel Electric Multiple Unit) train from Gevra in Korba district collided with a goods train moving in the same direction between Gatora and Bilaspur stations. The impact of the collision was so powerful that one of the passenger coaches climbed onto a wagon of the goods train.

According to preliminary investigations by the Railway Board, the accident appears to have occurred due to the passenger train overshooting a red signal.

“Passing Signal at Danger by the DEMU train seems to be the reason in the preliminary assessment by railway authorities,” the Railway Board said in a press release.

A detailed inquiry has been ordered by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) to determine the exact cause and suggest corrective measures to prevent such incidents in the future.

Following the collision, railway authorities immediately launched large-scale relief and rescue operations. Senior officials rushed to the spot to oversee the operations and ensure that all injured passengers received prompt medical attention.

The injured were shifted to Apollo Hospital and the Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS) in Bilaspur. The condition of some of the injured passengers is said to be critical.

The Railway Ministry has announced an ex-gratia compensation of Rs. 10 lakh each to the families of the deceased, Rs. 5 lakh to those seriously injured, and Rs. 1 lakh for passengers with minor injuries.

Train operations on the busy Bilaspur–Howrah route were severely affected due to the accident. Several train services were either cancelled or diverted. The collision also damaged overhead electric wires and disrupted the signaling system, officials said, adding that restoration work is underway on a war footing.

Emergency helpline numbers have been made operational for passengers and their families at various stations:

Bilaspur: 7777857335, 7869953330

Champa: 8085956528

Raigarh: 9752485600

Pendra Road: 8294730162

Korba: 7869953330

Uslapur: 7777857338

Authorities have assured that all necessary assistance is being provided to the victims and their families as rescue and restoration efforts continue.