By IANS,
New Delhi : Relief was writ large on the faces of survivors of two Delhi bound passenger trains that collided early Wednesday in Mathura city in Uttar Pradesh, killing 23 people. But many complained of delayed reaction by the authorities.
Two bogies at the rear of the Mewar Express were damaged after the engine of the Goa Express telescoped into one, but these were detached by the authorities and the train reached Nizamuddin railway station in south Delhi – its destination – seven hours behind schedule.
Saurabh Jain, one of the passengers, said: “We could feel electric shocks coming from compartments at the rear of the train. But the authorities reacted very late.”
Recounting the accident, he said the shock was first felt at 4.50 a.m. “We requested for help. But not a single policeman was seen at the site of the accident till 6 a.m.,” he said angrily.
The Goa Express rammed into the stationary Mewar Express about 55 km from Agra in Uttar Pradesh. The Mewar Express finally reached the Nizamuddin station in New Delhi at 1.50 p.m. It was supposed to reach Delhi at 6.30 a.m.
Another passenger said he rescued a woman who was trapped in the train. “Later, I came to know she died. If rescue operations had been carried out earlier, she could have survived,” he added.
But as children, women and elderly passengers got down from the ill-fated train, many thanked god for their safe journey to the capital.
“We thank god that we are safe,” said 30-year-old Priya Jain, who was accompanied by her husband and two children.
Carrying passengers from both the trains, the Mewar Express was fairly empty as most passengers had opted for alternate means of transportation, reaching Delhi by bus or taxi.
At the Nizamuddin station, a help desk has been set up to provide medicines and passengers were also given food packets and water bottles.