Year-Ender 2024: Major Train Accidents That Shook the Nation

As 2024 draws to a close, we reflect on the significant events of the year, including devastating train accidents. These tragic incidents have underlined the vulnerabilities in our transportation systems and the pressing need for improved safety measures. Here’s a list of the major train accidents that made headlines in 2024:

1. Jamtara Train Accident (28 February 2024)

A tragic incident occurred near Kalajari Railway Crossing in Jamtara, Jharkhand, where passengers alighting from a train were hit by another incoming train.

• Casualties: 2 deaths, several injuries.
• Details: The accident was caused when passengers deboarded onto the tracks. Authorities recovered two bodies, and search operations continued.
• Response: President Droupadi Murmu and PM Narendra Modi expressed condolences.

2. Palghar Freight Train Derailment (29 March 2024)

Six wagons of a freight train derailed in the Palghar Yard, Maharashtra.

• Impact: Disruption of rail traffic between Gujarat and Mumbai.
• Consequences:
  • 53 trains fully canceled.
  • 28 trains partially canceled.

3. Sarhind Freight Collision (2 June 2024)

A parked freight train was rear-ended by another train near Sarhind, Punjab.

• Casualties: 2 injured locomotive pilots.
• Impact:
  • Eight wagons derailed.
  • 59 trains were disrupted, with 51 diverted.

4. Kanchanjunga Express Accident (17 June 2024)

A freight train collided with the Kanchanjunga Express near Rangapani Station, West Bengal.

• Casualties: 8 deaths, 25-30 injuries.
• Details: The collision caused political uproar, with opposition questioning the Railway Minister’s priorities.

5. Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Train Derailment (18 July 2024)

The train derailed near Jhilahi Station in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh.

• Casualties: 4 deaths, 31 injuries.
• Details: 4-5 coaches derailed in the Northeast Railway zone.

6. Mysore-Darbhanga Express Accident (11 October 2024)

The Mysore-Darbhanga Express collided with a stationary freight train in Tiruvallur, Tamil Nadu.

• Impact:
  • 12 coaches derailed.
  • 1,360 passengers onboard.

7. Maligaon Freight Derailment (31 October 2024)

A freight train carrying food grains derailed in Assam’s Lumding-Badarpur Hill Section.

• Details:
  • A wagon derailed inside Tunnel 2.
  • Incident caused delays in operations.

8. Telangana Train Accident (13 November 2024)

Eleven wagons of a freight train carrying iron ore derailed between Raghavpuram and Ramagundam.

• Impact:
  • 37 passenger trains canceled.
  • Over 10 other trains affected.

These incidents highlight the critical need for modernization and accountability in the railway sector. Improved infrastructure, advanced signaling systems, and safety audits should be prioritized to prevent future tragedies.

PC: News24Online