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A freight train accident near Sirhind on Sunday led to the cancellation of three trains and the diversion of 51 others via Ludhiana Junction, affecting over 59 trains in total. The incident occurred early in the morning when eight coaches and two engines of a goods train derailed after colliding with another locomotive on the Dedicated Freight Control Corridor (DFCC) section of the Indian Railways in Fatehgarh Sahib district.

Cancellations and diversions

Three short-distance trains between Jalandhar and Ambala Cantt were cancelled, including the Ambala Cantt - Jalandhar City DEMU and two Ludhiana - Ambala Cantt Memu Express Special trains. Additionally, five trains were rescheduled: the Jammu Tawi-Varanasi Express, Firozpur Cantt-Dhanbad Express, Amritsar-New Delhi Express (twice), and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra-New Delhi Express. 

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A total of 51 trains were diverted via alternative routes, including the Ludhiana-Dhuri-Jakhal, Sahnewal-Chandigarh-Ambala Cantt, and Rajpura-Dhuri-Ludhiana lines. Notable diversions included the Amrapali Express, Vande Bharat Express, Hirakud SF Express, and Nagpur–Amritsar AC SF Express.

Impact and recovery efforts

The collision occurred around 4 am when a goods train loaded with coal, stationed at New Sirhind Railway Station, was hit from behind by another coal-laden train. The Kolkata-Amritsar Summer Special Express was delayed and then diverted, with some coaches detached due to the accident.

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The loco pilot, Vikas Kumar (37), and his assistant, Himanshu Kumar (31), from Saharanpur district, were seriously injured and are being treated at Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala. Three passengers from the summer special train sustained minor injuries and received first aid at a government facility in Fatehgarh Sahib before being discharged.

Ambala division's senior divisional commercial manager (DCM) Naveen Kumar stated that the focus is on restoring the track quickly, with train operations expected to resume by late at night. Passengers at Ludhiana railway station experienced significant delays and disruptions throughout the day as recovery efforts continued.