Train derails in UP's Muzaffarnagar

Chief track engineer has also been transferred.

The Indian Red Cross Society here has sent 100 units of blood to the Meerut Medical College Hospital where most of the injured in the yesterday's Utkal Express derailment. Dr. Vanshree Singh, director of the Red Cross blood bank said that they approached the the medical college and the latter told them about the requirement of blood and requested its urgent supply. "Initially, 100 units of blood have been released," Singh said.

She said that additional staff has been put to work, so that around 300 units of blood, which has been collected from donation camps today, is tested and kept ready, in case more blood is required at the hospital.

"Today more than 50 passengers, who had received minor injuries, were sent to their homes after treatment. The government is extending all possible help to the stranded passengers so that they could reach their destination," UP Cabinet minister Satish Mahana told PTI.

Mahana said he had reached the accident site around 10.00 pm yesterday. "Nearly 102 passengers are still receiving treatment in government and private hospitals in Muzaffarnagar and Meerut. Free medicine is being provided to them," he said.

The state government was also providing food and accommodation to passengers' relatives who are reaching Muzaffarnagar, he said.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had yesterday asked senior ministers Suresh Rana and Satish Mahana to reach the accident site. The CM also spoke with the Muzaffarnagar district magistrate and instructed him to ensure all possible relief, an official spokesperson had said.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en"> Restoration is top priority.7 coaches tackled. Also ensuring best possible medical care for the injured. Monitoring situation closely.</p> &mdash; Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) <a href="https://twitter.com/sureshpprabhu/status/899136788735963138">August 20, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Nearly 53 per cent of the 586 train accidents in the last five years were due to derailments with the Utkal Express derailment being the latest. According to official figures, of a total of 586 rail accidents in the last five years, nearly 53 per cent were due to derailments.

Puri-Haridwar Utkal Express left Puri on 18.08.2017 will run on diverted route via Hazrat Nizamuddin-Shamli-Tapri Station route.

18478 Haridwar - Puri Utkal Express from Haridwar on 20.08.2017
18477 Puri-Haridwar Utkal Express from Puri on 22.08.2017

All services on Meerut line, on which the Khatauli falls, have been either cancelled or diverted through other routes till 6 PM, as the tracks are yet to be cleared of mangled train coaches, RN Singh, DRM of the Delhi Division, said.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en"> Puri-Haridwar Utkal Kalinga Express train accident: Track repair work underway <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Muzaffarnagar?src=hash">#Muzaffarnagar</a> <a href="https://t.co/QihJgnJRhD">pic.twitter.com/QihJgnJRhD</a></p> &mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/899069568462733312">August 20, 2017</a></blockquote>

At least 23 people died and more than 70 others were injured when 14 coaches of the PuriHaridwar Utkal Express derailed in Khatauli, around 40km from Muzaffarnagar, on Saturday evening. Railway minister Suresh Prabhu has assured he is personally monitoring the situation and has ordered an inquiry into it.

It has emerged that that driver of the train was unaware of track maintenance being carried out at the spot where the mishap occurred on Saturday. The accident, said railway sources, seemed to be the result of the failure and negligence of railways staff.

An official said railways staff was engaged in "unofficial" maintenance of the track at the time of accident, which means they did not put any speed restrictions through red flag or signal warning on the route while the maintenance work was going on.

#Muzaffarnagar train derailment, latest #visuals from site: 23 dead in mishap; injured being given medical aid; NDRF teams at the spot. pic.twitter.com/VuTVHtoqjd

&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 19, 2017

"Deaths due to accidents pain us all. Condolences to families who lost loved ones. Safety must always be No.1 priority of Indian Railways," she said in a tweet.

* The 14681 New Delhi &ndash; Jalandhar Intercity journey commencing on 19.8.17 has been diverted to run via Ghaziabad, Kurukshetra &ndash; Ambala and will be short terminated at Ambala.<br /> <br /> * The 12055 New Delhi &ndash; Dehradun Janshatabdi Express journey commencing on 19.8.17 has been diverted to run via Hapur &ndash; Moradabad &ndash; Dehradun.<br /> <br /> * The 14645 Delhi Jn. &ndash; Jammu Tawi Shalimar Express journey commencing on 19.8.17 has been diverted to run via Ghaziabad -Kurukshetra &ndash; Ambala .<br /> <br /> * The 12903 Mumbai Central &ndash; Amritsar Golden Temple Mail journey commencing on 18.8.17 has been diverted to run via New Delhi -Kurukshetra &ndash; Ambala.<br /> <br /> * The 18237 Bilaspur &ndash; Amritsar Chhatisgarh Express journey commencing on 18.8.17 has been diverted to run via New Delhi - Kurukshetra &ndash; Ambala.<br /> <br /> * The 12205 New Delhi &ndash; Dehradun Nanda Devi Express journey commencing on 19.8.17 has been diverted to run via Shamli - Tapri.<br /> <br /> * The 12018 Dehradun &ndash; New Delhi Shatabdi Express journey commencing on 19.8.17 has been diverted to run via Shamli &ndash;New Delhi. <br /> <br /> * The 19020 Dehradun &ndash; Bandra Terminus Dehradun Express journey commencing on 19.8.17 has been diverted to run via Shamli &ndash; H. Nizamuddin.<br /> <br /> * The 19032 Haridwar &ndash; Ahmedabad Yoga Express journey commencing on 19.8.17 has been diverted to run via Shamli &ndash; Delhi Shahdra &ndash; Delhi.<br /> <br /> * The 14512 Saharanpur &ndash; Allahabad Nauchandi Express journey commencing on 19.8.17, will remain partially cancelled between Saharanpur &ndash; Meerut City. The 14512 will short originate from Meerut City for its onward journey to Allahabad on 19.8.17.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed extreme pain over the derailment of Utkal Express in Uttar Pradesh and said the railway ministry and the state government were doing everything possible and providing all assistance required.