| Odisha train collision | |
|---|---|
 Wreckage of the Coromandel Express | |
 Location of collision | |
  Crash location on a map of India | |
| Details | |
| Date | 2 June 2023 around 19:00 IST (13:30 UTC)[1] |
| Location | Near Bahanaga Bazar railway station, Balasore, Odisha |
| Coordinates | 21°20′17″N 86°45′52″E / 21.33806°N 86.76444°E |
| Country | India |
| Line | Howrah–Chennai main line |
| Operator | East Coast Railway zone |
| Owner | Indian Railways |
| Incident type | Collision, Derailment |
| Cause | Electronic interlocking defect due to signalling error[2][3] |
| Statistics | |
| Trains | 3 trains
|
| Vehicles | Locomotive-WAP-7 |
| Deaths | 296[4] |
| Injured | 1,200+ |
On 2 June 2023, three trains collided in Balasore district in the east Indian state of Odisha. The accident occurred around 19:00 IST when Coromandel Express, a passenger train, collided with a stationary goods train near Bahanaga Bazar railway station on the Howrah–Chennai main line. Due to the high speed of the passenger train and the heavy tonnage of the goods train, the impact resulted in 21 coaches of the Coromandel Express derailing and three of those collided with the oncoming SMVT Bengaluru–Howrah Superfast Express on the adjacent track.
296 people were killed in the crash and more than 1,200 were injured. It was one of the deadliest railway accidents in India. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) were involved in the search and recovery efforts, assisted by other government agencies and the general public. The injured were treated at local hospitals in the region. In the aftermath, operations of more than 150 trains were impacted, with the cancellation of at least 48 trains. The rail services resumed on the line on 5 June after restoration work.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the Coromandel Express entered a passing loop line instead of the main line at full speed and crashed into the stationary goods train. In the aftermath, Railway Minister stated that a change in electronic interlocking due to an error in electronic signalling, caused the crash. He also said that sabotage was suspected and the railway board had recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)-led probe. On 7 July 2023, the CBI arrested three railway officials believed to be responsible for the accident.
Despite the statement of the railway authorities that the accident was not a reflection of the safety issues in the system, various questions were raised by journalists, politicians and retired railway employees. The railway lines were not equipped with the Kavach train protection system. It was made aware that a similar signalling error had been reported earlier in February 2023 and a December 2022 report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India had warned that the safety department of the railways lacked adequate staffing and funding, suffered from misuse of funds and that these could impact the quality of maintenance.
- ^ Dash, Jatindra; V, Abinaya (3 June 2023). "At least 291 dead in India's worst train accident in over two decades". Reuters. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
CBCwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Soutik Biswas; Adam Durbin (4 June 2023). "India train disaster: Signal fault the likely cause, minister says". BBC News. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
- ^ MR, Senjo (2 September 2023). "Odisha train accident: CBI charges 3 railway officials with culpable homicide". Rediff. Archived from the original on 23 September 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2023.