Panic at Khandwa railway station due to gas leak; movement of six trains affected

Indore: Amid existing concerns over LPG supply shortages due to West Asia conflict, a major disaster was averted at Khandwa railway station on Sunday night. Panic struck the station and local administration after a gas leak was detected in a wagon of a Bharat Petroleum goods train travelling from Panvel in Maharashtra to Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh.The incident occurred around 9 pm on Sunday. The goods train, consisting of 32 wagons, was stationed at the outer area of Khandwa railway station.During a routine change of the train crew, the new staff noticed a pungent smell of gas. Upon inspection, a leak was discovered in the upper valve of wagon number 7. Following the report, Khandwa collector Rishabh Gupta, SP Manoj Kumar Rai and senior railway officials, along with RPF and SDRF teams, rushed to the spot.The administration cordoned off the entire area. Collector Gupta stated that as first aid, the leaking wagon was covered with wet gunny bags and wet sand to suppress the gas spread. To ensure safety, the engine was used to first detach the front seven wagons, and then wagon number 7 was isolated at the outer point.The remaining 31 wagons were dispatched to Jabalpur at 12:30 am. Railways officials said, it's yet to be ascertained what amount of LPG leaked from the wagon.Strict security measures were implemented during the rescue operation. The collector said, it was ensured that no one lit a matchbox in the vicinity. Even after the train departed, water was poured on the tracks to prevent any ‘sparks' from subsequent trains.Six trains, including the Rajdhani and Mangala Express, were affected during this period.Highlighting the severity of the incident, Gupta told TOI, "A single wagon contains enough gas that a major accident could have shaken the entire city." A technical team from the Pithampur industrial area was summoned, which repaired the faulty wagon on Monday.With India depending on imports for 60% of its LPG needs, such technical failures make the supply chain even more vulnerable. Following repairs on Monday morning, the faulty wagon was attached to another goods train and sent to Jabalpur.