60 Workers Injured As Two Internal Transport Trains Collide Inside Tunnel In Uttarakhand's Chamoli

At least 60 workers were injured after two internal transport loco trains collided inside a tunnel at the under-construction Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on Tuesday night.

The accident occurred within the Pipalkoti tunnel of the THDC (India) project, triggering a swift rescue and medical response by the district administration and local authorities.

According to initial information, the collision took place during a shift change when workers were being transported nearly 4.5 kilometres inside the tunnel at the TVM site.

One loco train carrying workers reportedly rammed into another loco train on the same track, leading to the derailment of two coaches and resulting in multiple injuries.

Officials said

the incident occurred between 8.30 pm and 9.30 pm.

Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar said there were a total of 109 people onboard the two trains at the time of the accident, of whom around 60 were injured.

“During the time of shift-change, two locomotives operating in the tunnel collided at around 9.30 pm last night.

“One hundred and nine people were onboard the trains, out of whom 60 were injured. Forty-two people are admitted to the district hospital, and 17 people are admitted to Pipalkoti’s Vivekananda Hospital,” Kumar said in a statement to news agency ANI.

The district administration said all injured workers had been rescued from the tunnel and their condition was stable.

Ambulances were immediately deployed to transport the injured from the accident site to nearby medical facilities.

Of the injured, around 42 workers are undergoing treatment at the District Hospital in Gopeshwar, while 17 others have been admitted to Vivekananda Hospital in Pipalkoti.

The remaining injured were given primary treatment and discharged after medical assessment.

Officials said the loco trains involved in the accident were being used for internal transportation inside the tunnel, a common practice in large hydroelectric construction projects.

One train was carrying workers and officials, while the other was transporting construction materials inside the tunnel when the collision occurred.

The Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project is a 444-megawatt project being constructed on the Alaknanda River between Helang and Pipalkoti in Chamoli district.

The project, being developed by THDC (India), is expected to generate electricity through multiple turbines and is targeted for completion next year.

The district administration has ordered an inquiry into the cause of the collision to determine whether there was any lapse in safety protocols, signalling, or operational procedures inside the tunnel during the shift change.

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