Ujjaini Express derails in Rishikesh; 3 coaches off track, no injuries
Synopsis
Three coaches of the Ujjaini Express left the tracks near Rishikesh's Yog Nagari station during a late-night shunting operation on 19 May — with no passengers on board. The incident is the latest in a string of railway mishaps across India within 48 hours, raising fresh questions about track and maintenance safety protocols.
Key Takeaways
Three coaches of the Ujjaini Express derailed near Yog Nagari Railway Station in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand on 19 May 2025 at approximately 9:30 pm IST .
No passengers were on board; the derailment occurred during shunting operations in maintenance hours.
A technical glitch or human error is preliminarily suspected; railway officials have not made any definitive statement.
A police team from Kotwali station reached the site; restoration work continued through the night.
The incident follows a coach fire on a Patna-bound train near Sasaram and a Rajdhani Express coach fire near Kota — all within 48 hours .
Three coaches of the Ujjaini Express derailed in the Khand Gaon area near Yog Nagari Railway Station in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, on the night of Monday, 19 May at approximately 9:30 pm IST. No passengers were on board at the time, officials confirmed, as the incident took place during scheduled maintenance and shunting operations.
What Happened
According to officials, the three coaches came off the tracks while the train was being shunted — a routine procedure conducted during non-passenger hours. Kailash Chandra Bhatt, Inspector-in-Charge of the local Kotwali police station, confirmed that no passengers were present during the incident, ruling out any risk to commuters.
Locals in the vicinity reported hearing a loud noise at the time of the derailment, prompting residents to rush out of their homes and nearby shops. Railway personnel at the scene swiftly evacuated the area and halted all movement on the affected tracks.
Preliminary Cause and Investigation
According to sources, a technical glitch or human error during shunting operations is preliminarily suspected to be the cause. However, railway officials have refrained from making any definitive statements pending a full inquiry. A technical team is currently preparing a detailed report, and the damaged sections of the track have been inspected by the railway administration.
Restoration and repair work began immediately after the incident and continued late into the night. A police team from the local Kotwali station also reached the site upon receiving information about the derailment.
Part of a Wider Pattern of Rail Incidents
This incident comes amid a cluster of railway-related accidents reported across India over the same weekend. On the same day — Monday, 19 May — a fire broke out in a coach of a passenger train bound for Patna near Sasaram station in Bihar at around 6 am IST. No injuries were reported. A preliminary investigation pointed to a suspected short circuit as the cause.
A day earlier, on Sunday, 18 May, fire broke out in two rear coaches of the Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express near Kota, Rajasthan. All passengers were safely deboarded, and railway officials stated that the Overhead Equipment (OHE) power supply was shut down immediately after the fire was detected. The built-in safety systems of the coach functioned as designed, bringing the train to an automatic halt.
Current Status
Relief and repair operations are ongoing at the Rishikesh site. The railway administration has not yet issued a formal statement on the timeline for restoration of normal track operations. The investigation is expected to conclude with a technical report that could determine accountability and recommend corrective measures.
Point of View
A coach fire near Sasaram, and another aboard the Rajdhani near Kota — is not a coincidence to be footnoted. Each event, taken alone, is manageable; together, they point to systemic stress in maintenance and shunting protocols that Indian Railways has not adequately addressed publicly. The fact that the Rishikesh derailment occurred during a routine shunting operation — not a high-speed run — is precisely what makes it alarming. Shunting is controlled, low-speed, and supervised; if derailments happen there, the margin for error on mainline operations deserves scrutiny. The railway administration's reluctance to make definitive statements is understandable procedure, but the pattern demands a faster, more transparent accountability framework than what post-incident technical reports typically deliver.
NationPress
3 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the Ujjaini Express derailment in Rishikesh?
The exact cause is still under investigation. Preliminary reports suggest a technical glitch or human error during shunting operations, but railway officials have refrained from making any definitive statement pending a technical inquiry.
Were any passengers injured in the Rishikesh train derailment?
No. The derailment occurred at approximately 9:30 pm on 19 May during maintenance hours when no passengers were on board the Ujjaini Express. Officials confirmed there were no injuries.
Where exactly did the Ujjaini Express derail?
The three coaches derailed in the Khand Gaon area near Yog Nagari Railway Station in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. A police team from the local Kotwali station reached the site, and restoration work began immediately.
What other railway incidents occurred around the same time?
Within 48 hours of the Rishikesh derailment, a fire broke out in a coach of a Patna-bound train near Sasaram in Bihar (no injuries), and fire was reported in two rear coaches of the Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express near Kota, Rajasthan (no injuries). All passengers in the latter were safely evacuated.
What is the current status of the investigation?
A technical team is preparing a detailed report on the Rishikesh derailment. Track and coach inspections have been completed, and the railway administration is conducting relief and repair operations. No timeline for the restoration of normal operations has been officially announced.
