88 injured in loco train collision in hydropower project tunnel in Chamoli

Eighty-eight people were injured in a loco train collision inside the Pipalkoti tunnel of the under-construction Vishnugad-Pipalkoti hydropower project in Chamoli district, an official said.

One of the trains had workers and officials on board, while the other carried material.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami ordered proper treatment for the injured.

Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar said that the accident occurred around 8.30 pm on Tuesday at the TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) site inside the tunnel being built by THDC (India).

A loco train carrying workers for tunnel excavation during the night shift was about two kilometres inside the tunnel when another loco train coming from the opposite direction lost control and collided with it.

 

DM Gaurav Kumar and Superintendent of Police Surjit Singh Panwar met the injured at the Gopeshwar District Hospital.

Kumar said 109 people were on board the loco train at the time of the accident, most of them labourers. None of the injured was serious, he said.

He said 70 labourers were brought to the district hospital in Gopeshwar, of whom 66 were given discharge after first aid, while four are still under treatment.

Eighteen labourers were given first aid at the Vivekananda Hospital in Pipalkoti and were sent home.

Meanwhile, the Railways said the trains involved in the collision had no connection with it.

"It is clarified that this unfortunate incident occurred in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, involving a trolley used in the local transportation system during the construction of a hydroelectric project tunnel. The train referred to in the news reports is not an Indian Railways train, but a transportation system being used locally by the project team," the government entity said in a statement.

According to officials, rail-like vehicles are used to transport workers, employees, and materials for construction work inside the tunnel.

The project, being built between Helang and Pipalkoti on the Alaknanda River, will generate 444 megawatts of electricity through four turbines. The project is targeted for completion by next year.