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Narrow escape for passenger train as speeding truck falls on tracks from overbridge

LUCKNOW: A major mishap was narrowly avoided late Wednesday night when a trailer truck loaded with wooden plies fell off the RamnagarFatehpur flyover in Barabanki and crashed onto the up-line track near Burhwal Junction on the BarabankiGonda route. The incident occurred just as the AmritsarSaharsa Garib Rath Express (12204) was passing on the adjacent down line, but no passengers were injured. The truck broke through the bridge railing and plunged nearly 25 feet onto the tracks, while a large stone from the flyover struck the roof of coach G2. Debris from the broken railing hit the trains upper section, though the train escaped without major damage. Rail traffic on both Barabanki and Gonda-bound tracks was halted, and relief teams rushed from Gonda station to clear the site. Services were restored after six hours, affecting about 24 trains. The Garib Rath resumed its onward journey to Bihar around 3.30 am. This incident was reminiscent of a similar accident on August 16, 2022, when the LucknowChandigarh Express narrowly escaped a major derailment after a milk truck plunged from a railway overbridge onto the track between Mundha Pande and Rampur stations. In the present case, the impact of the falling trailer truck shattered the windowpanes of the coach and caused heavy damage to its roof. The loud crash frightened passengers and triggered panic inside the train. The loco pilot immediately applied emergency brakes and brought the train to a halt. On the adjacent track, the cabin of the trailer truck was crushed, trapping the driver inside. After two hours of effort, rescuers cut open the cabin to pull out the driver, identified as Pankaj Kumar from Gonda. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Railway officials arrived shortly after the incident, and a mechanical team replaced the broken windows of the G2 coach. According to details, the trailer truck (UP 43 AT 9967) was travelling on the RamnagarFatehpur road, about 30 km from Barabanki. It was loaded with plywood and heading from Sitapur to Bihar. Around 9.30 pm, while crossing the flyover near Burhwal station, the driver lost control, and the truck fell nearly 25 feet onto the railway tracks just as the Garib Rath Express was passing on the adjacent line. The fall of the truck damaged the electric supply line, and several electric poles bent under the impact. A stone from the flyover broke off and struck one of the trains coaches. As rescue teams reached the spot, the truck was removed from the tracks. After repairs and an engine replacement, the train was allowed to move again nearly six hours later. Fortunately, no passenger was hurt. Barabanki SP Arpit Vijayvargiya said he received information around 9.30 pm that a dumper loaded with plywood had gone out of control and fallen onto the railway track. A police team and the fire brigade reached the spot immediately. The fallen truck caused stones to hit the train, damaging one of its coaches, but no passengers were injured. Once the damaged coach was inspected and cleared, the train was allowed to move ahead. The debris on the track was removed, and train services have now resumed.