Mathura derailment: 500 workers clear track, panel to probe cause

An inquiry committee will be formed to probe the derailment of 25 wagons of a freight train near Vrindavan in Mathura district, a senior official said here Thursday.

The derailment around 8 pm on Wednesday impacted services of around 30 trains on the route, with officials saying work is underway to clear the tracks so that normal operations could be resumed.

Nearly 500 workers have been deployed for the job of clearing the tracks since last night.

Divisional Railway Manager, Agra Division, Tej Prakash Agarwal on Wednesday told reporters that traffic on three railway lines was interrupted due to the derailment.

"Twenty-five wagons of the train taking coal to Suratgarh power plant (in Rajasthan) derailed after Vrindavan yard," Agarwal said, adding that no one was injured in the incident.

On Thursday morning, General Manager of North Central Railway, Upendra Chandra Joshi said, "Our priority is to clear the track first, and then we will focus on other aspects."

Joshi said the derailment, which occurred between Vrindavan Road and Ajhai stations, affected approximately 30 trains in the process.

While the exact cause of the derailment remains undetermined, officials are not ruling out any possibilities, including sabotage, he said.

"It is difficult to disclose the basic cause of derailment at this time. After the formation of the inquiry committee, all angles will be examined," he added.

Joshi said the necessary equipment, machines and ART (accident relief train), has been requisitioned from Agra, Delhi, and Moradabad to expedite the repair process.

SK Srivastava, Station Director at Mathura Junction, said down train movements are currently ongoing on the fourth line, ensuring some level of operational continuity while repairs are underway.

"Around 500 personnel are working on-site since Wednesday night to restore normal operations," he added.