Freight train derailment disrupts Muzaffarpur-Samastipur line; routes of 13 trains altered

Muzaffarpur: Rail services between Muzaffarpur and Samastipur were disrupted on Tuesday after four wagons of a goods train derailed during shunting operations near the Bela Industrial Area, approximately 4 km from Muzaffarpur Junction. The accident halted traffic on the up line, leaving several trains stranded at different stations.

The derailment occurred around 6 p.m. as the train was transporting new tracks from Bhilai. The incident happened during a crossover manoeuvre. Railways confirmed there were no casualties or damage to property.

Vivek Ranjan Sood, Sonpur Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), arrived at the site and reported that 12 trains were being held at various stations. “Efforts are being made to clear the derailed wagons from the track, and we expect to normalise rail traffic by 10 p.m.,” he stated. The process to remove the affected wagons is expected to take two hours.

In response to the disruption, the routes of 13 trains have been modified. Four of these trains will depart from different stations later tonight, while nine others have already resumed their journeys. Among those affected are major long-distance services, including the Dibrugarh Rajdhani and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus-Jaynagar Express.

Teams from the Accident Relief Train (ART) units in Sonpur, Samastipur, and Barauni have been deployed to the site to expedite the restoration process. Railway workers and officials remain at the scene, working to remove the derailed wagons.

Railway authorities also confirmed that three trains are being partially terminated due to the ongoing disruption. While the situation has caused inconvenience, officials expect services to return to normal later in the evening.