09 Apr 2018 | 11:57 AM UTC
India: Train accident avoided in Odisha April 7
Railway accident avoided after a train with 1000 passengers became detached from the engine and sped backwards for miles in Odisha
Event
An unusual railway technical problem occurred on Saturday, April 7, after 22 wagons carrying some 1000 passengers became detached from the engine and sped backwards. The runaway carriages in the eastern state of Odisha rolled for 12 km (7 mi) before being brought to a sudden halt by rocks placed on the tracks by railway staff. No passengers were injured. The train was traveling from Titlagarh station in Balangir district to Kesinga station in Kalahandi district. The cause of the incident was the non-application of skid-brakes on the wheels of the coaches.
Context
More than 22 million passengers commute daily on some 9000 trains across India. Saturday's incident is just latest to beset the run-down rail network, which dates back to the colonial era. According to government figures, around 15,000 people are killed in various ways on India's railways on a yearly basis.
Advice
Individuals present in India are advised to be extremely careful while traveling by trains. Generally speaking, local safety norms are far below Western standards. Furthermore, officials report regular criminal activity on board trains in India, especially at night; travelers should consider avoiding using night trains.
