The labourers, who are said to be of Nepali origin, were engaged in the construction of a hotel.
In its probe report into the June 17 accident in West Bengal's Darjeeling district that left 10 persons dead, including the loco pilot of the goods train, the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) also recommended implementation of the Automatic Train-protection system (KAVACH) on top priority.
The station master of Ranipatra, following the railway operation norms, issued the authority letter T/A 912 to all train drivers to pass through defective signals.
While the TN Government Railway Police sleuths are questioning five passengers, the commissioner of railway safety commenced inquiry over the mishap in Madurai.
The Western Railway is awaiting clearance from the Commissioner of Railway Safety, for running trains on this high-speed corridor at 130 kmph which will help cut down travel time by atleast 30 minutes.
Minister of State for Railways Bandaru Dattatreya, the Railway Board chairman and the general manager of South Central Railway have rushed to the accident site, Kumar said.
Two passengers were killed and 34 injured when eight coaches of the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express derailed near Gonda in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday, an official said.
Thousands of police personnel and CCTV cameras were deployed and traffic regulated across states on Tuesday to ensure public safety and prevent any untoward incident as the country geared up to welcome 2025.
Balasore district hospital looked like a war zone with the injured lying on stretchers in the corridor and rooms bursting at its seams with extra beds propped up.
The rails at the spot where the Bangalore Express derailed in Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh on Friday night were found broken into two pieces, General Manager, South Central Railways, S N Singla said.
"Nothing can be ruled out. It may be possible that our equipment might have been tampered with. It will be known only after inquiry)," Eastern Railways General Manager V N Tripathy told PTI.
The train crash happened near the Bahanaga Baazar station in Balasore district, about 250 km south of Kolkata and 170 km north of Bhubaneswar, around 7 pm on Friday, prompting the Railway Ministry to order a probe.
The announcement came after marathon meetings held by the minister with senior railway board officials since Friday.
India's first high-speed Shatabdi train will run on the Delhi-Bhopal section at a speed of 150 kilometer per hour from January next year.
In a letter to general managers of all zones, the Railway Board has directed that a safety drive should be launched immediately with special focus on all 'goomties' (rooms along tracks) housing signalling equipment within station limits.
In view of the possible traffic snarls, as faithful throng roads in large numbers to witness the immersion processions, the city police will create a 'green corridor' for seamless movement of vehicles and connectivity between eastern and western suburbs, he said.
Thirty-eight people had died in their sleep when four coaches of the Amritsar-bound train caught fire, about 10km from Ludhiana.
A loud sound was heard at around 1 am outside Kalia's residence near Shastri Market in Jalandhar, police said, adding that no one was hurt in the incident.
As the national transporter is planning to come out with semi-high speed routes where trains can clock an average speed of 160-200 kmph, dedicated testing becomes essential.
The accident occurred at 3.45 AM near Barabamboo, around 80 km from Jamshedpur, under the Chakradharpur Division of the South Eastern Railway (SER), they said.
Despite recent fatal stampedes at the Kumbh Mela and a Delhi railway station, pilgrims, driven by faith, continue to participate in the holy gathering in Prayagraj. Despite safety concerns, pilgrims from across India are undeterred by the tragedy and are taking the holy dip at the Triveni Sangam.
Over two dozen people have been detained for questioning in connection with the suspected bid to derail the Kalindi Express in Kanpur two days ago, officials said on Wednesday.
A thorough probe is underway, none of the authorities has so far talked about any possibility of a sabotage.
Railway officials also indicated that possible 'sabotage' and tampering with the electronic interlocking system, which detects the presence of trains, led to the Friday accident.
Suresh Prabhu was speaking on the sidelines of an RPF function.
Three rear compartments of the Kanchanjunga Express derailed under the impact of the collision by the locomotive of the goods train from behind, the police officer said.
Adityanath asked the chief secretary and the director general of police to conduct a thorough review of the Maha Kumbh Mela arrangements on Thursday. "Every aspect related to security and public convenience must be carefully examined to ensure seamless arrangements for Basant Panchami," he said.
A railway official said the Talgo run was only a trial and, in case of launch of commercial services, clearance from CRS would be taken
"The railway minister has expressed deep grief over the incident and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for those who died in this unfortunate incident and Rs 1 lakh to those seriously injured," Railway Board chairman Arunendra Kumar said.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath highlighted the successful execution of the Maha Kumbh 2025, emphasizing effective crisis management, economic benefits, and the event's role in national unity and infrastructure development. He cited the swift response to a stampede on January 29 and the extensive preparations that ensured a smooth experience for millions of pilgrims.
The train hit the cylinder before coming to a screeching halt on Sunday morning. Due to being hit by the train, the cylinder was thrown away from the tracks, they said.
'This is becoming the new normal. Accountability of @AshwiniVaishnaw ji is zero. The GOI has no answers whatsoever'
"Since some of them are in a critical condition, the death toll may go up," Jalpaiguri DM Moumita Godara Basu said, adding rescuers thoroughly searched each coach for survivors and bodies through darkness and thick fog.
The first semi-high speed service of the Railways is being considered a boon for tourists visiting the city of Taj Mahal.
The fire had started when the train was at Diwana railway station near Panipat in Haryana, it said.
"Call it a craze, fever or national interest but HSR is our window to the outside world."
The 100-foot-tall illegal billboard fell at a petrol pump in Ghatkopar during dust storms and unseasonal rains that lashed Mumbai on Monday.
9 passengers were killed and 16 seriously injured when 9 bogies derailed.
The Railways on Thursday ordered a high-level inquiry by the commissioner of rail safety into the train accident in Uttar Pradesh, which left 33 people dead and 17 injured.
At least 10 persons were 'reported dead' in a fire that broke out inside a stationary train compartment in Madurai railway station in the wee hours of Saturday, the Southern Railway said, adding a 'gas cylinder illegally' taken in led to the blaze.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances