Second life, say survivors, as train minus 3 coaches trundles into Howrah

Bogies of the Sir M Visveswarya Terminal (SMVT)-Howrah Super Fast Express that were not damaged in the accident were brought to the train station carrying the injured and stranded passengers from Balasore. Dola’s family was among them. As soon as she stepped out, she burst into tears.

“I lost my money, my purse, my mobile phone, all my belongings. My babies have not eaten anything,” she said, adding that her family was rescued by locals.

The railway station was turned into a hospital overnight, with makeshift health centres, a temporary orthopaedic camp, and several doctors stationed at the platforms to provide treatment to the injured passengers. Nearby, 10-15 ambulances were parked. Instead of luggage, people could be seen carrying medicines, food packets and water bottles.

The Eastern Railway and Howrah District Administration were among those involved in the relief operation.

A total of 643 passengers were brought to Howrah station by two trains — eight on a special train and 635 passengers on the SMVT-Howrah Super Fast Express.

“We had full arrangements for medical needs. There were a total of 21 bogies in the SMVT-Howrah Express, out of which three were impacted by the accident. Those were cut and the rest of the train returned to Howrah. All the passengers received proper medical facilities,” DCP Howrah (North) Anupam Singh told The Sunday Express.

Special buses were arranged by the Regional Transport Office to take passengers home.

“Most of the passengers had bruises, cuts. We checked each passenger, their vitals. A few had not had water for long, so to prevent dehydration, they were given ORS,” said Arpita Biswas, a nurse from Howrah District Hospital.

Chief medical superintendent (Howrah) Debashis Guha said most injuries were manageable since the critically injured had been hospitalised in Balasore.

Moti Sheikh, a daily labourer who works in a leather factory in Chennai and was travelling in the S3 compartment of the SMVT-Howrah Express, recalled: “I was trying to break the window of the train when my friend and I received injuries on our legs and hands. Still, I feel this is my second life. I have a two year old daughter waiting for me in Burdwan; I just want to hug her.

An injured passenger gets primary aid as he arrives at the Howrah Railway Station in a special train. (PTI)

Many of the passengers were from Bihar, and arrangements are being made to take them back home.

Ompal Baitha (25), who was travelling in the Coromandel Express, returned from Howrah with no shirt on his body. “I boarded the train from Shalimar and till Kharagpur, everything was fine. I was taking out food to eat when we felt a major jerk. Next, I was on the floor and. We broke the glass of a window and exited. I have to return to Bihar by train but I am really scared to do another journey,” said Baitha, a daily wager.

Rahul Kumar, who was on the Coromandel Express, said: “Around 7 pm, our coach, S3, started to lurch violently. Within seconds, before we could figure out that the train had derailed, there was a collision that overturned the coach.” Kumar and three friends he was travelling with were relieved to have reached Howrah safely. They intend to take a bus from here to back home in Bihar.

Rescue operation underway following an accident involving Coromandel Express, Bengaluru-Howrah Express and a goods train, in Balasore district. (PTI)

The station also saw some looking for information about relatives they haven’t been able to contact.

Tonik Ghosh has been waiting for more than 10 hours for any information about his cousin Premik Ghosh, who was travelling on the Coromandel Express. Ghosh took a local train from Murshidabad to reach Howrah.

“His phone is switched off. We have been calling his number since yesterday. We couldn’t get any information from helpline numbers. I don’t know where he is,” said Tonik, his eyes welling up with tears, as he tried to speak to the help desk at platform number 8 of the station.