Uttarakhand: Two trains crash in a tunnel at the Hydel Project in Chamoli, injuring 60 people
Uttarakhand: Inside the Pipalkoti tunnel of the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, a locomotive train carrying authorities and workers collided with another train moving supplies, injuring around 60 persons, officials said on Wednesday.
The incident happened after a shift change late on Tuesday at the THDC hydropower project construction site in Pipalkoti.
Initial reports state that a huge number of people were hurt when two locomotive trains that were used to transport workers and supplies within the tunnel collided.
According to Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar, around 60 of the 109 passengers on the train transporting workers were injured in the late-night collision.
According to him, everyone engaged in the tragedy has been rescued, and everyone who was hurt is in stable condition.
The District Magistrate clarified that when the accident happened, two locomotive trains—one carrying construction materials and the other carrying workers and officials—were traveling on the single-track within the Pipalkoti tunnel of the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti project, which is being built by THDC (India).
He went on to say that these locomotive trains are often utilized to move authorities, engineers, laborers, and building supplies down lengthy tunnels.
According to the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Chamoli, 17 wounded individuals are receiving treatment at Vivekananda Hospital in Pipalkoti, while 10 have been transferred to the district hospital in Gopeshwar.
According to reports, the other wounded individuals’ conditions are stable, he stated.
As workers tried to escape the cramped tunnel, the force of the collision caused fear and screaming within the tunnel, creating a chaotic scene.
Teams from the local government and project management raced to the scene as soon as the event was notified, starting relief and rescue efforts right away.
In Chamoli district, the 444 megawatt Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project is being built on the Alaknanda River between Helang and Pipalkoti.
The project is expected to be finished by the following year and is intended to produce 111 megawatts of power using four turbines.