Bathinda, Oct 16: A freight train transporting newly manufactured automobiles derailed near Rampura Phul railway station in Punjab’s Bathinda district on Friday morning, causing traffic disruptions along the busy Bathinda-Rajpura rail corridor.
The incident occurred around 11:00 AM as five coaches of the freight train—en route from Gujarat to Ahmedgarh in Malortkotla district—went off the tracks shortly before reaching the station platform. Railway officials confirmed that no injuries or casualties were reported in the mishap.
Eyewitnesses and law enforcement officers noted that a far more severe accident was prevented when the locomotive engine separated from the attached cargo wagons during the movement.
“The railway section has four lines (tracks), out of which three have been affected by this incident. During the restoration work, a crane will remain on one line, which may affect the movement of other trains. A major accident was averted due to the separation of the engine,” stated ASI Gurjant Singh, in-charge of GRP Rampura Phul.
Technical personnel from the railway department promptly reached the site to initiate restoration procedures and investigate the precise cause behind the derailment. Station operations were significantly affected, with only a fraction of the average daily train traffic arriving at the platform by Friday afternoon while heavy machinery was mobilized to clear the obstructed lines.
