"86 people were injured in total:" Uttarakhand Rehabilitation Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman on Chamoli THDC train collision

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], December 31 (ANI): Uttarakhand State Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman on Wednesday said that a total of 86 people suffered from injury in a loco-train collision, which occured at the THDC Hydroelectric Project in the Pipalkoti area of Chamoli district on Tuesday night.
Speaking to ANI, the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Secretary said 68 people were admitted to the district hospital in Chamoli, and 18 others were admitted to a hospital in Pipalkoti. He further noted that the District Magistrate of Chamoli has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident.
"The information received is that the tunnel work for THDC in Pipalkoti was being carried out. They use two locomotives for transporting workers inside the tunnel. A collision occurred between these two trains. Initially, the numbers were less.....but in both trains, those who were on board...as per information, 86 people were injured in total. Of these, 68 people were admitted to the district hospital in Chamoli, and 18 people were admitted to the hospital in Pipalkoti. Four people sustained minor fractures, while the rest were discharged after treatment. They are all out of danger. The District Magistrate of Chamoli has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident. The disaster management department is also issuing a notice, and instructions are being given to prevent such incidents from happening in the future," Suman told ANI.
Earlier, two loco trains collided at the under-construction site of the THDC Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project in Pipalkoti at Uttarakhand's Chamoli district on Tuesday night. According to the District Magistrate of Chamoli, Gaurav Kumar, the trains collided at around 9:30 pm, with 109 people on board. Out of them, around 60 passengers got injured in the accident. The District Magistrate further mentioned that 42 people have been admitted to the district hospital.
"During the time of shift-change, two loco trains operating in the tunnel collided at around 9:30 pm last night. 109 people were onboard the trains, out of whom 60 were injured, 42 people are admitted to the district hospital and 17 people are admitted to Pipalkoti's Vivekananda Hospital," said Kumar.
Following the incident, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami took a detailed update on the incident and instructed officials to ensure that the injured receive proper medical care and are referred to higher medical centres if required.
"I am in constant contact with the District Magistrate of Chamoli regarding the accident that occurred at the TBM site of the under-construction THDC Vishnugad - Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project in Pipalkoti, Chamoli district. Instructions have been given to provide better medical facilities to all the injured and to refer them to higher medical centers as needed. I pray to God for the speedy recovery of all the injured workers," said CM Dhami. (ANI)