A portion of Platform Number 4 at Bharatpur railway station suddenly collapsed on Monday night at around 10:45 pm, narrowly averting a major disaster after debris fell onto the tracks just as a freight train was passing through.
According to station staff, the incident occurred while the goods train was moving out via the loop line of Platform 4. Efforts were reportedly underway around midnight to clear debris from the track and dispatch the freight train. Eyewitnesses said the goods train's engine was damaged due to the falling debris. A replacement engine was later arranged, and the train was eventually sent off from Platform 5 at around 2:30 am.
As the freight train was passing, a 10 to 15-foot stretch of the platform suddenly gave way and crumbled. The debris from that portion of Platform 4 fell directly onto the railway track and beneath the train. The impact of the falling debris caused a violent jolt to the train. Sensing danger, the loco pilot immediately applied emergency brakes and brought the train to a halt at the spot.
On being informed, railway officials, supervisors, RPF personnel and station staff rushed to the scene and began clearing the debris. Due to a lack of space for machinery, the debris had to be removed by hand. The incident caused a blockage on Platform Number 4, following which the Haridwar-Bandra Dehradun Express (19019) was diverted and dispatched from Platform Number 5 instead.
Railway employees said the incident could have led to a far bigger tragedy. As that section of the platform collapsed, a large quantity of stones, bricks, tiles, concrete and ballast fell onto the tracks, which could have caused the freight train to overturn. It was only due to the alertness of the loco pilot, who brought the train to a halt in time, that a derailment was avoided. Officials noted that had the train travelled a little further, the debris could well have caused it to topple over. Fortunately, no passenger train was passing through the station at the time, or the consequences could have been far more severe.
Officials said the exact cause behind the sudden collapse of that portion of the platform has not yet been determined, and an investigation is currently underway. It was raining in Bharatpur at the time of the incident. Officials suggested that a prolonged lack of maintenance could be one of the reasons behind the collapse, with the weakened and hollowed-out section of the platform giving way under the combined pressure of the rain and the passing freight train.