Ujjain Express derails in Rishikesh: 3 coaches off track, no casualties
Synopsis
Three coaches of the Ujjain Express came off the tracks near Rishikesh's Yog Nagari Railway Station during a late-night shunting operation on 19 May — with no passengers on board. The incident is the third railway safety event in India in as many days, raising pointed questions about maintenance protocols across the network.
Key Takeaways
Three coaches of the Ujjain Express derailed near Yog Nagari Railway Station, Rishikesh on 19 May 2025 at approximately 9:30 pm .
No passengers were on board; the train was undergoing shunting operations during maintenance hours.
A technical glitch or human error during shunting is preliminarily suspected; railway officials have not made a definitive statement.
A police team from Kotwali station reached the site; restoration and repair work continued through the night.
The incident follows a coach fire on the Sasaram-Patna train on Monday and a Rajdhani Express coach fire near Kota on Sunday — both without casualties.
Three coaches of the Ujjain Express derailed in the Khand Gaon area near Yog Nagari Railway Station in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, on Monday, 19 May at approximately 9:30 pm. No passengers were on board at the time, officials confirmed, as the train was undergoing shunting operations during maintenance hours.
What Happened
The derailment occurred while the train was being manoeuvred during a scheduled shunting exercise — a routine procedure carried out when no passengers are aboard. Three coaches came off the tracks in the Khand Gaon locality, prompting an immediate halt to all movement on the affected line.
Locals reported hearing a loud noise at the time of the incident, with residents and shopkeepers rushing out to investigate. Railway personnel on site swiftly evacuated the surrounding area as a precaution.
Preliminary Cause and Investigation
According to officials, a technical glitch or human error during shunting operations is preliminarily suspected to be the cause. However, railway authorities have refrained from making any definitive statement pending a formal inquiry.
Kailash Chandra Bhatt, Inspector-in-Charge of the local Kotwali station, confirmed that the incident took place during maintenance hours when the train carried no passengers. A police team from the Kotwali station reached the site shortly after receiving the alert. A technical team is currently preparing a detailed report for the railway administration.
Restoration and Relief Operations
Repair and restoration work began immediately and continued late into the night. Railway personnel inspected the tracks and the damaged sections, with the administration coordinating relief operations at the site. As of Tuesday morning, work was still underway.
Part of a Wider Pattern of Railway Incidents
The Rishikesh derailment is the latest in a series of railway-related incidents reported across India in recent days.
Earlier on Monday, a fire broke out in one coach of the Sasaram-Patna fast passenger train near Sasaram railway station in Bihar at around 6 am. No injuries were reported. The blaze was preliminarily attributed to a suspected short circuit, occurring shortly before the train's scheduled departure.
On Sunday, fire was detected in two rear coaches of the Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express near Kota, Rajasthan. All passengers were safely deboarded, and railway officials said the Overhead Equipment (OHE) power supply was shut down immediately. The built-in safety systems of the coach functioned as designed, triggering an automatic halt of the train. No injuries were reported in that incident either.
With three separate railway safety events in as many days, scrutiny of maintenance protocols and shunting procedures is expected to intensify in the days ahead.
Point of View
A coach fire in Bihar, and a Rajdhani blaze near Kota — form a pattern that demands more than routine inquiry. The Rishikesh derailment during shunting is particularly telling: shunting accidents are among the most preventable in railway operations, typically pointing to lapses in procedural compliance or equipment upkeep. That no passengers were aboard limits the human cost this time, but the clustering of incidents raises a structural question the railway administration has yet to answer publicly: whether maintenance scheduling and crew oversight protocols are being consistently enforced across the network.
NationPress
4 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to the Ujjain Express in Rishikesh?
Three coaches of the Ujjain Express derailed near Yog Nagari Railway Station in the Khand Gaon area of Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, on 19 May 2025 at around 9:30 pm. The train was undergoing shunting operations at the time and had no passengers on board.
Was anyone injured in the Rishikesh train derailment?
No. Officials confirmed that no passengers were aboard the Ujjain Express at the time of the derailment, as the incident occurred during maintenance and shunting hours. No injuries were reported.
What is the suspected cause of the Ujjain Express derailment?
Preliminary investigations point to a technical glitch or human error during shunting operations as the likely cause. However, railway authorities have not issued a definitive finding, and a technical team is preparing a formal report.
What other railway incidents occurred around the same time?
On the same Monday, a fire broke out in a coach of the Sasaram-Patna fast passenger train near Sasaram, Bihar, reportedly due to a short circuit — no injuries reported. On the preceding Sunday, two rear coaches of the Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express caught fire near Kota, Rajasthan; all passengers were safely evacuated.
What action has the railway administration taken after the derailment?
A police team from the local Kotwali station reached the site promptly. Railway personnel evacuated the area and halted track movement. Restoration and repair work began immediately and continued through the night, with a technical team tasked with preparing an investigation report.
