Bihar’s West Champaran district witnessed a miracle on rails Friday when Bagaha-Patliputra Intercity Express escaped a deadly derailment. Near Kumarbaag station on the Narkatiaganj-Bettiah line, passengers aboard the crowded train had no idea they were seconds from catastrophe.
The drama unfolded shortly after the train pulled out of Kumarbaag bound for Bettiah. As coaches rolled forward, a sudden, bone-rattling shake alerted the loco pilot. Without hesitation, he applied emergency brakes, stopping the locomotive dead. His inspection revealed a critically broken track section—split clean through, ready to send the train plummeting.
Chaos simmered among passengers as the train idled for over 90 minutes. Railway engineers, track maintenance crews, and senior officials converged on the site, deploying torches, welding equipment, and heavy machinery. Through meticulous repair work, they restored the line’s integrity, allowing the train to proceed safely.
Speaking to reporters, the train guard detailed the narrow escape. ‘The pilot’s vigilance turned potential mourning into celebration,’ he noted, highlighting how milliseconds made the difference. The episode exposes glaring vulnerabilities in Bihar’s rail infrastructure, prompting an official inquiry into track inspection protocols.
Was this a manufacturing defect, environmental stress, or human error? Investigators are combing through maintenance logs and examining track history. Meanwhile, railway unions call for immediate safety audits across similar sections. This incident underscores the heroism of frontline rail workers while spotlighting the urgent need for modernized infrastructure to protect millions traveling daily.