Daijiworld Media Network - Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar, Jul 24: A general coach of the Mahima Gosain Express derailed near Sambalpur City Railway Station on Thursday morning, sparking panic but causing no injuries or casualties, officials confirmed.

The incident occurred around 9:22 AM, just minutes after the Shalimar–Sambalpur-bound train (20831) departed from Sambalpur City Station. According to the East Coast Railway (ECoR), the rear trolley of a general coach next to the guard van veered off the tracks.

Fortunately, the train was moving at a very slow speed, allowing a potentially serious mishap to be averted. “Only one trolley got derailed, and no passengers were harmed,” ECoR said in its official statement.

Emergency response teams from the Railways and local police quickly reached the site, initiating rescue and restoration operations. Passengers were safely evacuated from the affected coach, which was promptly decoupled from the rest of the train. The train later resumed its journey to Sambalpur with all remaining passengers onboard.

Railway officials on-site have launched an inquiry into the cause of the derailment and are working on early restoration of traffic in the affected section between Sambalpur and Sambalpur City stations.

The incident comes just months after a deadly derailment in March, when the 12551 Bengaluru–Kamakhya AC Superfast Express derailed near Nergundi station, leaving one dead and 15 injured.

Odisha has witnessed several such incidents in recent years — most notably, the Bahanaga triple train tragedy in 2023, which claimed over 290 lives and injured more than 1,000, marking one of the deadliest rail disasters in Indian history.

Rail safety and infrastructure are once again under scrutiny, as authorities continue efforts to prevent such incidents amid growing concerns over rail security across the country.