Post by : Rameen Ariff

An overnight rear-end collision near Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh left at least 11 people dead and about 20 others injured. A passenger train ran into a stationary goods train from behind, with one passenger coach ending up on top of a freight wagon, forcing prolonged rescue work to free survivors and recover the deceased.

The locomotive driver of the passenger service was among the fatalities. The co-driver, a woman, sustained serious injuries and was taken to a private hospital for treatment. Injured passengers are being treated in local medical facilities. Rescue teams completed operations early on Wednesday morning and train services through the area have since been restored.

Indian Railways has launched an inquiry into the cause of the accident and said it will provide financial assistance to the families of those killed and to the injured. Chhattisgarh's top official, Vishnu Deo Sai, conveyed his condolences to the victims' families.

Rail accidents remain a recurring problem in India, where more than 12 million people travel daily on roughly 14,000 trains covering about 64,000 kilometres of track. Despite efforts to improve safety, hundreds of incidents occur each year, frequently linked to human error or ageing signalling systems. The 2023 rail disaster in eastern India, which killed over 280 people, is among the nation's deadliest recent crashes.

The Bilaspur collision highlights enduring challenges in rail safety and the urgent need for upgraded infrastructure, modern signalling and stricter safety enforcement to reduce the risk of future tragedies.

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