The Minister of state for Railways K H Muniyappa had visited Kasara in the suburbs of Mumbai and inspected the site where the accident of the Mumbai Gondia Vidharba express took place. He then visited the Nashik Hospital where 4 victims were admitted with serious injuries.

Miraculously and fortunately all the passengers had survived while just one passenger died. Among others present with the minister were Vinay Mittal, Chairman Railway Board and Subodh Jain, general manager of Central Railway. Union railways minister had announced an ex-gratia sum of Rs 5 lakh for the dead and Rs 1 Lakh for the seriously injured and Rs 25,000 for those who had minor injuries.

Official figures showed just 14 people who were injured but in reality according to the local villagers more than 30 passengers were hurt in the accident. They were discharged after being treated, or they have moved to the hospitals in Mumbai. While one passenger was shifted to Kalyan railway hospital, two others got admitted to Fortis hospital in Mulund.

The minister of the state had also assured the people that he would enfore further precautionary measures to make sure such incidents don't repeat in the future. The mishap occurred as a lanslide in the Kasara section had occurred in the ghat region and a huge boulder hit a suburban train that was plying from Kasara to CST at high speeds.

11 boghies were thrown off the track after the boulder hit five to seven of the coaches. The Vidharba Express which had arrived in less than 2 minutes had collided with the derailed coaches. The engine driver hit the brakes but it was too late. The sudden braking brought the train, which was travelling at a 100 kmph to a sudden halt that caused the 9th and the 10th boghies to run over each other and get derailed.

AW- Anil