Four empty coaches derail near Minto Bridge while entering Delhi railway station

At least four coaches of empty coaching rake of New Delhi (NDLS)-Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra (SVDK) train derailed near Minto Bridge while entering the New Delhi Railway Station on Thursday evening, disrupting trains’ traffic and restricting some movement at the railway station, officials from Northern Railways and Delhi Railway police, aware of the incident, said. No loss to life or injury to any person was reported. The entire train was empty, when the derailment of four coaches happened while it was on way to platform number 5 at the station, they said.

The derailment of coaches delayed the departure and arrival of some trains. As the incident happened during the evening peak hours when thousands of people use local trains to reach their homes in Delhi-NCR from their offices in the city, a large gathering of passengers at the adjoining stations such as Tilak Bridge, waiting for their trains, was seen.

Chief public relations officer (CPRO) of the northern railways, Deepak Kumar, said, “Four coaches of empty coaching rake of NDLS-SVDK derailed at 5.50 pm while entering New Delhi Railway Station’s platform number 5. Some movement at NDLS is restricted.”

According to the CPRO, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM, Delhi) Dimpy Garg was monitoring the situation along with other senior railway officials.

According to Delhi Police’s railways wing, the four derailed coaches of the train, which was scheduled to depart for Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra from the railway station at 11.15 pm, included an air-conditioned coach and three general coaches.

“The process of removing the coaches and clearing the track was being carried out by the railways’ staffers using the necessary equipment. The operation is likely to continue beyond midnight. Till the track is cleared, the rail traffic is running on other adjoining tracks,” said deputy commissioner of police (railways) Apoorva Gupta.

As per the Indian Railways’ app’s schedule, the train was expected to depart from the New Delhi Railway station at 5.35 am on Friday, nearly after a delay of 4.5 hours.