Trains were delayed by 15-20 minutes, 10 others cancelled; driver of the dumper on the run
A dumper crashed into a running train on the busy Panvel-Thane line, stalling the services on trans-harbour and harbour lines for almost 40 minutes yesterday. Since none of the vehicles was speeding, a major accident was averted.
The dumper crashed into a local just ahead of Khandeshwar station yesterday
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The incident occured around 1.10 pm between Panvel and Khandeshwar railway stations.
The dumper had come to the Dhakata Khanda crossing near Panvel to unload crushed stones meant for a joggers’ park some 50 m from the railway tracks. The railway police suspect that its driver lost control over the vehicle.
“That spot is around 2 ft below the railway tracks. The dumper hit the footboard of a compartment. While the compartment was intact, the front of the dumper was damaged,” said S Kirdad, senior inspector, Panvel GRP, adding that no one was injured.
The collision delayed train services by 15-20 minutes. Ten trains were also cancelled. The dumper, belonging to a contractor, was removed from the spot at 1.52 pm, after which the trains resumed operations. “The RPF seized the dumper from the spot. The driver is on the run,” another GRP official said. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the IPC and the Motor Vehicles Act.
Witness says
Kunal Nikam, a resident of Khandeshwar, was returning home from Panvel in the train when he heard a loud noise, following which the train stopped. “It takes less than 3 minutes to reach the Khandeshwar station, but the train was halted for more than 30 minutes,” he said.
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