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Nagpur-Mumbai Duronto Express derailment LIVE updates: Nine coaches and the locomotive of the Nagpur-Mumbai Duronto Express derailed between Vasind and Asangaon stations in Titwala, Thane district in Maharashtra. The derailment occurred at around 6:40 am on 29 August. No casualties were reported in the accident.
The PR department of Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus said on Tuesday that 31 trains have been diverted, 15 cancelled and six re-scheduled due to the derailment.
Safety will be the focus area of the Indian Railways, which is at a critical juncture and faces an "image perception" problem, newly-appointed Railway Board chairman Ashwani Lohani has said.
Lohani said in a letter to employees said that the Indian Railways had suffered a "serious dent" in the recent past due to "certain unfortunate incidents". His letter dated 28 August, before the fourth derailment in 10 days this morning – also indicated at reforms in the country's largest passenger carrier. He said:
Ashwani Lohani, the chairman of the Railway Board, said the repair work has already been initiated.
The Central Railways confirmed that the derailment was caused by rains and landslides in Nashik. Sudden landslides caused the derailment, the chief PRO said, adding that the driver did an “excellent job” by applying the emergency brakes.
Rescue operations were hampered by incessant rains, as rescue personnel were kept from reaching the spot even an hour-and-a-half after the incident.
The GM, DRM and other officers have reached the site of derailment. Five buses have been brought to the spot to evacuate passengers.
Fresh updates from the site of the mishap reveal that nine coaches of the train derailed, and not seven as was previously reported.
This is the third derailment incident in the country in under 10 days. Fourteen coaches of the high-speed Utkal Express jumped the tracks on 19 August, with one of them crashing into a house adjacent to the track near Khatauli in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district, claiming 23 lives and injuring over 60.
Also Read: Utkal Express Live: Railways Cracks Whip, Suspends Four Officials
Rescue teams from Kalyan were rushed to the spot after the accident. Railway Board Chairman Lohani said:
Train schedules have been modified, with the Kasara and Asangaon suburban trains running up to Titwala, while the CSTM-Howrah Gitanjali Express have been diverted.
Six coaches and the locomotive of the Nagpur-Mumbai Duronto Express derailed between Vasind and Asangaon stations in Titwala, Thane district in Maharashtra. The derailment occurred at around 6:40 am on 29 August.
There were no injuries in the accident, Central Railway authorities confirmed.
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