PM Modi announces ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh after 5 people died in Kanchanjunga Express collision
Kanchanjunga Express was hit by a goods train on Monday. PTI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed condolences over the Kanchanjunga Express accident in West Bengal's Siliguri. Five people died while over 30 were injured when a goods train hit the Kolkata-bound train.
"The railway accident in West Bengal is saddening. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest. Spoke to officials and took stock of the situation. Rescue operations are underway to assist the affected," Modi said on X.
The train was on its way to the Sealdah station when a goods train rammed into it from the rear. The mishap occurred after the train left the New Jalpaiguri Station.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister's Office has announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased while the injured will be given Rs 50,000.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is on his way to Darjeeling to oversee the search and rescue operation carried out by NDRF teams.
How did the accident occur?
According to railway officials, a container train overshot the signal and hit the rear portion of the Kanchanjunga train.
The train has two parcel vans and a guard coach in its rear that were directly impacted by the collision.
The Kanchanjunga Express was en route to the Sealdah Station when a goods train rammed into it from the rear. The impact of the collision derailed two rear compartments of the train, as per the divisional railway manager of North Frontier Railway’s Katihar division.
NDRF teams, ambulances rushed to spot
The Northeast Frontier Railway has launched several helpline numbers at various stations.
Meanwhile, National Disaster Response Force teams have been rushed to the spot to carry out rescue operations while ambulances are on standby for injured people.
About the Kanchanjunga Express
A daily train that connects West Bengal with the Northeastern cities of Silchar and Agartala, the Kanchanjunga Express is usually boarded by tourists travelling to Darjeeling.
The train route is in the Chicken’s Neck corridor, which connects the northeast with the rest of the country.
An accident on the route can impact the movement of several other trains.