Train accident in Joydevpur: Rescue work not over

Gazipur Correspondent: Even though 24 hours have passed since the collision of passenger train and oil train at the outer signal of Joydevpur railway junction of Gazipur city, the rescue work has not been completed yet. Those concerned say that the rescue work may take all day on Saturday. Meanwhile, there was a schedule disruption in the movement of trains in both directions on the same line.

According to railway department and locals, the oil train was going from Dhaka to Rangpur at around 11 am on Friday in the dual gauge double line in Dhaka-Joidebpur section. At the same time, the Tangail commuter train from Joydevpur railway station to Dhaka departs on the upline. The commuter train leaves the upline and enters the downline at the outer signal. Half of the train entered the upline when it collided head-on with the Rangpur-bound oil train coming from the opposite direction. At this time, the surrounding ground shook with a loud sound. In this, four coaches including the engine of the Tangail commuter train and three coaches including the engine of the oil train were derailed. Some of the compartments are twisted. But the Tangail commuter train was returning to Dhaka empty, so no passengers were injured. Four people including the locomaster of two trains were injured in the incident.

The injured are Locomaster Sharif Mahmud (38), Locomaster Habibur Rahman (58) and Assistant Locomaster Sabuj Hasan (46). They were rescued and admitted to Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital in Gazipur. Others are given first aid.

An hour after the accident, the rescue train from Dhaka reached the spot. Later, a crane from Akhaura also joined the rescue operation. They kept the damaged coaches of the Tangail commuter train and dragged the good coaches back to platform number one of Joydevpur rail junction. After the collision, the train service started at around 1 pm after the railway service was stopped for about two hours.

On the other hand, the Gazipur district administration and the railway department have formed two separate investigation committees to investigate the incident. The authorities have dismissed three railway employees on the initial assumption that two trains were on the same line due to a wrong signal. They are the master of the dormitory of Joydevpur Railway Junction. Hasem, pointsman Saddam Hossain and Mostafizur Rahman.

At around 11 o'clock on Saturday, it can be seen that two train engines are still in a head-on collision at the spot. Meanwhile, except one coach of the oil train, other coaches have been taken back to Dhirashram railway station in Gazipur metropolis with the help of rescue train. The remaining compartment will also be towed to Dhirashram. Three coaches of the Tangail computer train were severely damaged. Two of these compartments were one inside the other. These coaches have been removed from the railway line and kept in the low land nearby.

Craneman Abul Hossain said to take part in the rescue work, the derailed carriages were lifted on the line with a crane. Later, the coaches which could be moved were taken to Joydevpur railway station and the oil container coaches to Dhirashram railway station. After the rescue, the crane will return to Akhaura. And after keeping the oil carriages at Dhirashram railway station, the engines of the two accident trains will be pulled together and taken to Kamalapur in Dhaka. Later from there they will be sent to Chittagong workshop.

Abul Hossain also said that it will take the whole day to finish these works. After completing the work and clearing the line, train movement will start on the closed line of Dhaka-Joidebpur dual gauge double line.

Joydevpur Railway Station Master Hanif Ali said that the Tangail commuter train left for Dhaka after halting at Joydevpur station at 11:00 am. After leaving the station and reaching the outer signal, the train collided head-on with an oil tanker coming from the opposite direction while crossing the line.

Hanif Ali also said that after the accident, train communication with Mymensingh and the northern region was stopped. Later the rescue train from Dhaka reached the spot. After the end of the rescue, train movement was normalized after about two hours.

After inspecting the accident site, Gazipur Deputy Commissioner Abul Fateh Mohammad Safiqul Islam said that the accident occurred due to wrong signal. The Tangail commuter train was empty towards Dhaka. On the other hand, the oil train was going to Rangpur. At that time, the collision occurred when the passenger train entered the line of the oil train.

Abul Fateh Md. Safiqul also said that a three-member investigation committee has been formed under the leadership of Additional District Magistrate Matiur Rahman to find out whether anyone was negligent or negligent in the accident. The committee has been directed to submit its report within the next two working days.

Dhaka Divisional Railway Manager Mohammad Shafiqur Rahman said that two investigation committees have been made by the Railways. Among them, COPS. Shahidul Islam has been made a regional committee of five members. And another investigation committee of five members headed by Soumik Shaon Kabir, Dhaka Divisional Engineer (Signal and Telecommunication) of Railways has been formed. The two committees have been asked to report within three working days. The exact cause of the accident will be known after the investigation.

Meanwhile, since the head-on collision between two trains at Gazipur, one train is running on the Dhaka-Joidebpur double rail line, but the other is still closed. Due to this, the schedule of all the trains running between Dhaka and Mymensingh and North Bengal including Maitri bound for Kolkata has been disrupted. The passengers have suffered greatly.

On the surface, it was seen that hundreds of passengers from different districts are waiting for trains for hours at Joydevpur railway junction. They are waiting as the train did not arrive at the station on time.

Alauddin has been waiting with his relatives at the station since 7 am. He will go to Rajshahi. His train did not arrive at the station at 10:30 am.

The same is the case with Jamalpur-bound Teesta train passenger Ashraful. He is also waiting at the station to go to his village home Jamalpur. The train was scheduled to leave Jaipur Junction at 7:30 am on Saturday, but the train did not reach the station at 10 am.

Joydevpur Railway Station Master. Hanif Mia said that two hours after the accident, the train started running on one line, but it was not completely normal. Trains are running on rationing system as one line is closed. At the neighboring Dhirashram station and Joydevpur junction, one train at a time is being allowed to run in both directions, leaving no train on schedule.

Signal Inspector of Joydevpur Railway Junction. Rafiqul Islam said that since the incident, they have been passing the abnormal timing for train movement. Mymensingh-bound Balaka and Dhaka-bound Burimari Express left from Joydevpur Railway Junction till 9:30 am on Saturday. Schedule disruption has occurred in the movement of trains in both directions on the same line.

 

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