Rishikesh (Uttarakhand) [India], May 19 : Rescue operations by the railway administration continued on Tuesday to clear derailed coaches of the Ujjaini Express from the tracks following a late-night rail incident near Khand Gaon Visthapit in Rishikesh.
According to officials, the railway administration's rescue team has been continuously carrying out operations to restore the affected railway track and remove damaged coaches.
With the help of cranes, three severely damaged coaches of the Ujjaini Express are being removed from the railway tracks. The damaged coaches were also brought down to the ground as part of efforts to clear and restore the rail route.
Railway authorities are continuing restoration work at the site.
Earlier, three coaches of Train No. 14317 Ujjaini Express derailed during a shunting movement in the railway yard near Khand Gaon in Rishikesh, officials said. According to Moradabad Division Northern Railway, the train was completely empty at the time of the incident, and no casualties or injuries were reported.
Following the derailment, rescue and restoration operations were launched immediately by the railway administration and continued through the night into the morning.
Authorities are yet to ascertain the exact cause of the derailment.
The Ujjain Express met with an accident near Yog Nagari Railway Station in Rishikesh on Monday night around 9:30 pm. The incident took place in the Khand Village area.
Preliminary findings suggest that the train suffered a brake failure during routine maintenance. Several questions have been raised regarding the movement of the entire train. Allegedly, senior railway officials did not reach the spot for two and a half hours.
A large crowd gathered on the tracks after the accident. GRP (Government Railway Police) personnel took charge and cleared the people from the site.
The Railway Department has initiated an investigation. Further investigation into the incident is underway.