Chamoli collision: Local tunnel transport, not Indian Railways, 60 injured
Officials say the Chamoli incident involved a local tunnel transport setup for a hydro project, not Indian Railways; 60 injured, all stable.
Two loco trains collided inside the Pipalkoti tunnel of the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project in Chamoli district late Tuesday night. A total of 109 people were onboard at the time, with about 60 injured and subsequently admitted to medical facilities. District authorities reported that 42 people were admitted to the district hospital, and 17 were admitted to Pipalkoti’s Vivekananda Hospital. Rescue teams and medical staff worked through the night to recover the injured and ensure their stability, with officials stating all injured were in stable condition.
A clarification has been issued that the trains involved were part of a local transportation arrangement organized by the tunnel project team, not Indian Railways. A spokesperson for the Northern Railway emphasized that the incident occurred within the hydro project site and involved a local transport setup used during construction.
Security and district authorities said the collision happened around 9:30 pm during a shift change. The two loco trains collided with a goods train inside the tunnel at the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project site, which is developed by THDC (India). Rescue operations and medical evacuations were carried out promptly, and officials conducted a detailed review to ensure the injured received appropriate care.
Officials, including the district administration and project managers, are monitoring the situation closely and have asked for continuous updates to ensure safety measures are reinforced and future incidents are prevented. Investigations into the exact sequence of events are ongoing, with technicians and safety officers coordinating further checks of the tunnel operations and transport arrangements within the project area.
