Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has reached the Kanchenjunga Express train accident site in West Bengal’s Rangapani. He has promised that the Railway Commission will conduct a thorough investigation at the site.
At least 9 passengers died, and 41 others were injured after three-car rear coaches of the stationary Sealdah-bound Kanchanjunga Express derailed today morning after a goods train collided with it from the rear. Officials fear that the toll could rise as multiple agencies of the state and center work to rescue passengers who could still be trapped inside.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unveiled a series of compensation initiatives, such as providing ₹10 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the families of each deceased victim, ₹2.5 lakh to those with severe injuries, and ₹50,000 to those with minor injuries.
The train accident has led to the cancellation of 19 trains along the New Jalpaiguri, Siliguri Junction, Bagdogra, and Aluabari Road routes. Both Up and Down lines were blocked, disrupting train services in the region and affecting long-distance travel connections from north Bengal and the northeastern states.
The event took place at approximately 8:30 am, about 11 kilometers away from New Jalpaiguri station, which is a vital center in the Northeast Frontier Railway zone catering to the eastern and northeastern regions of India.