As many as 22 coaches of Sabarmati Express passenger train, from Varanasi to Ahmedabad (19168), derailed between Kanpur and Bhimsen stations in Uttar Pradesh early Saturday morning after its engine struck an object on the tracks, officials said. There have no reports of injuries immediately.
The Indian Railways has sent buses to help passengers reach Kanpur and arrangements have been made for the passengers to continue their journey to Ahmedabad.
“22 bogies of Sabarmati Express have derailed but no one is injured,” ADM city Kanpur Rakesh Verma told ANI.
The loco pilot said that some boulder hit the front portion of the engine which got badly damaged.
According to the Indian Railways, seven trains have been cancelled and three diverted due to the derailment.
Where and when did the Sabarmati Express derail?
According to the railways train enquiry website, derailed at 2:29am on Saturday, approximately 30 minutes after departing from Kanpur Central station, near Bhimsen.
On the same track Patna-Indore train has crossed uninterrupted at 1:20am.
Initial reports suggest that a boulder may have hit the engine, damaging the cattle guard.
“The loco pilot said that some boulder hit the cattle guard (front portion) of the engine which had got badly damaged and bent,” a Railway Board official said, PTI reported.
Union railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the engine “hit an object placed on the track and derailed”.
“Sharp hit marks are observed. Evidence is protected. Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Uttar Pradesh police are also working on it,” he said in an X post.