Lucky escape for Rajdhani near Gwalior as goods train derails

The passengers of Bangalore-New Delhi Rajdhani Express had a narrow escape early on Thursday when a goods train derailed at Birla Nagar Station near here around 2.30 am.

The goods train, coming from Delhi side and carrying wheat, derailed and some waggons fell on the Down-track along which Rajdhani was to pass, railway sources said.

The engine of the train hit a pole on the Up-track, and fell on the other side.

However, as the information about derailment reached Gwalior, the railway staff there immediately contacted the driver of Rajdhani over wireless and asked him to stop the train at Sithouli station before Gwalior.

As the Rajdhani, which has no stop at Gwalior, was to pass without halting, there could have been a major mishap had the staff not acted swiftly, sources added.

The train traffic on both Up and Down lines remained disrupted for over two hours. Later the stranded trains including Rajdhani moved on along the Up-track.

The rail traffic on the Down-track was restored around 11 am. No casualty has been reported in the derailment.