2 passenger trains collide in Pakistan; 36 killed, scores injured
Karachi: Two passenger trains collided in Pakistan's southern Sindh Province early Monday morning, killing at least 36 people and injuring scores of others, according to officials.
The accident occurred when the Millat Express train from Karachi to Sargodha derailed and fell on the opposite track and collided with Sir Syed Express headed from Rawalpindi to Karachi, a spokesperson of Pakistan Railways said.
The collision, in which bogies of the Millat Express train overturned, took place near Dharki, a city located in the Ghotki district of upper Sindh.
An emergency has been declared at hospitals in Ghotki, Dharki, Obaro and Mirpur Mathelo where injured were rushed.
The Express Tribune reported that at least 36 people have been killed and scores of others injured in the train collision.
Reacting to the train derailment, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that he was "shocked by the horrific train accident".
Shocked by the horrific train accident at Ghotki early this morning leaving 30 passengers dead. Have asked Railway Minister to reach site & ensure medical assistance to injured & support for families of the dead. Ordering comprehensive investigation into railway safety faultlines, he said on Twitter.
Officials were facing difficulties in rescuing the people trapped inside the overturned bogies.
Speaking to Geo News, Ghotki Deputy Commissioner Usman Abdullah said that 13 to 14 bogies have derailed in the accident while six to eight were "completely destroyed".
Rescuing passengers who are still trapped is a "challenge" for the rescue officials, he said, adding that a relief train has departed from Rohri.
"This is a challenging task. It will take time to use heavy machinery to free citizens (still trapped). We are also establishing a medical camp to provide medical aid to citizens," he said.
Ghotki Senior Superintendent of Police Umar Tufail said that passengers were stuck in one of the bogies and we fear more casualties".
Some breathed their last after being pulled out from the wreckage, he said. According to officials, over 1,000 passengers were on board the two trains.
Around 20 passengers still remained trapped in the wreckage of some of the bogies which were damaged and overturned, a spokesperson for the railways department said, adding that officials were accumulating all the information of the passengers and staff on both the trains.
It will take some time for the rescue operation to be completed as heavy machinery is required to remove the damaged boogies, he said.
Authorities fear that the number of fatalities could rise even as rescue and relief officials were rushed to the spot.
Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah expressed grief over the loss of lives and directed the Sukkur Commissioner to mobilise the district administration, Dawn news reported.
"Machinery should be arranged to rescue passengers that are still stuck. Arrangements should also be made at nearby hospitals to treat those that have been injured, he said, directing the official to arrange temporary accommodation and food for the passengers.
"An information system should be set up so that citizens can get accurate information," the Sindh Chief Minister said.
Pakistan Rangers troops have also reached the spot to assist the civil administration in the rescue and relief operations.
Train accidents are common in Pakistan and dozens of people lose their lives every year. The railways have seen decades of decline due to graft, mismanagement and lack of investment.
According to a senior former railways official, such accidents happen from time to time all over Pakistan as the railways network remains outdated in many places.
In some areas, they are still using the same network and tracks which were laid before the Partition, the former official added.
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Chamoli hydropower tunnel train collision: 88 injured, magisterial probe ordered
Gopeshwar/Dehradun (PTI): Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar on Wednesday ordered a magisterial inquiry into the collision between two loco trains inside the Pipalkoti tunnel of the under-construction Vishnugad-Pipalkoti hydropower project, which left 88 people injured.
Earlier in the day, Kumar said that the accident occurred around 8.30 pm on Tuesday at the TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) site inside the tunnel being built by THDC (India).
A loco train carrying workers for tunnel excavation during the night shift was about two kilometres inside the tunnel when another loco train coming from the opposite direction lost control and collided with it.
One of the trains had workers and officials on board, while the other carried material.
Upon receiving information about the collision, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami ordered proper treatment for the injured. He spoke to the DM over the phone and instructed him to ensure that all the injured receive the best possible medical facilities.
DM Kumar and Superintendent of Police Surjit Singh Panwar met the injured at the Gopeshwar District Hospital.
Kumar said 109 people were on board the loco train at the time of the accident, most of them labourers. None of the injured was serious, he said.
He said that 88 of them were injured, although none of them are in serious condition. They said that 84 workers were discharged after receiving first aid, while four are still hospitalized.
DM Kumar and SP Panwar also inspected the project site and sought detailed information about the incident from the project officials.
They instructed them to strictly implement all necessary safety standards to prevent a recurrence of such an incident in the future.
After inspection, the DM issued orders for a magisterial inquiry into the accident caused by the collision of the loco trains.
Meanwhile, the Railways said the trains involved in the collision had no connection with it.
"It is clarified that this unfortunate incident occurred in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, involving a trolley used in the local transportation system during the construction of a hydroelectric project tunnel. The train referred to in the news reports is not an Indian Railways train, but a transportation system being used locally by the project team," the government entity said in a statement.
According to officials, rail-like vehicles are used to transport workers, employees, and materials for construction work inside the tunnel.
The project, being built between Helang and Pipalkoti on the Alaknanda River, will generate 444 megawatts of electricity through four turbines. The project is targeted for completion by next year.
