One died, 70 injured in Vidarbha Exp-local train ram accident

Gondia Junction bound Vidarbha Express (12105) coming from Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CSTM) Thursday night rammed into derailed Mumbai suburb local train between Umbermali and Kasara ghat at Thane district of Maharashtra killing one people and seventy injured.

According to official sources, Vidarbha Exp that had just leaved Mumbai CSTM collided with head-on-head with derailed local train 'N-30 Kasara-Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus' at near Kasara ghat on Kalyan-Igatpuri section of Mumbai division of Central Railway (CR) at 9:30 p.m on Thursday.

According to a senior official of Central Railway, "Four coaches of the N-30 Kasara-Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus local derailed between Kasara and Umbermali stations on Kalyan-Igatpuri section of Mumbai division on CR a little before 9.30pm."

"The Mumbai-Gondia Vidarbha Express, which was travelling towards Kasara after leaving CST, hit one of the derailed coaches resulting in derailment of the engine of the Vidarbha Express," the official added.

According to official, the accident held because of local train derailed from its track which happened just 90 seconds before the collision.

The accident occurred around 9.30 p.m., when four coaches of the Kasara-CST suburban local train derailed and fell across the parallel railway line.

A few minutes later, the speeding 12105 Mumbai-Gondia Vidarbha Express rammed into the derailed bogies scattered on its route towards Kasara.

As a result, the engine of the Express train also derailed and blocked the services on both sides.

Teams of senior officials, medicos and relief workers have been rushed to the scene of the double accident between Kasara and Umbermali, said a Central Railway official.

Earlier officials have estimated three deaths but later it was downed to only one. As much as 70 persons were injured in which four persons are found seriously injured whom were referred to Mumbai.

At present, suburban services and long-distance trains are being operated only till Asangaon on the CST-Satara section and efforts were continuing to clear both the railway tracks.

The normal railway operation can be restored by tomorrow morning after clearing both tracks, CR official said.

--With IANS Inputs--