Lucknow: Perched on top berth, fell with a thud

LUCKNOW: Atul Kulkarni's family liked to start the day with a ritual - a conversation over a cup of tea.


While travelling on the Double Decker Express on Sunday morning the family was doing just that when Atul sloshed the tea on his hand after feeling a jolt. Before he could understand anything, people started shouting ' train derail ho gayi' (the train has derailed).

He managed to gather his senses and rushed towards the door with his wife and children. "Everyone was screaming. I was rushing towards the door and trying to get out, but the train stopped. We had a narrow escape," Kulkarni told TOI over the phone on Sunday.

Kulkarni and over 500 other passengers had a lucky escape when the New Delhi-bound train derailed at Katghar near Moradabad around 10am on Sunday. Though no one was injured, some of the passengers recounted the traumatic experience while talking to TOI.

Delhi resident Raavish Khan had came to Lucknow to meet a friend, but the accident was one of the reasons why he could never forget the visit.

He boarded the train from Lucknow Junction on Saturday and was to reach Anand Vihar Railway Station around 5am on Sunday. "I was sleeping on my berth, when I was jolted and fell down from my berth with a thud. On stepping out of the train, I saw that two coaches had derailed. I can't thank God enough for keeping me safe," he added.

For some passengers like Anshuman Sharma, the accident was an eye opener. "How can I ever rely on train services now. I hear about trains derailing almost every other day, but today I experienced the horror myself. What if it was much worse than this? As ministers get busy inaugurating new trains, no one thinks about what causes these derailments. I have decided not to travel in a train ever again."

Kunal Keshav Kohli, who is a senior citizen, said, "I thought a double decker train was a safe option. However, I no longer think so. My wife and I are old and can't run fast like most other passengers. When the coaches skidded off tracks, my wife started crying while holding my shirt. I couldn't do anything except console her."

The repair of tracks following the accident affected the operations of 12 other trains on Sunday. The list of delayed trains included Swarn Shatabdi, Gorakhpur Express, Lucknow Mail, New Delhi AC Express, Danapur Express, New Jalpaiguri Express and Barauni Express.