By BHUBANESWAR — People are becoming very worried about the safety of the railways in Odisha after a second goods train crashed in just one week. These accidents are causing big delays and making people wonder if the tracks are being looked after properly. The latest accident happened late Monday night, January 26, 2026, near Koraput. Two cars of a train carrying goods from Jagdalpur to Visakhapatnam jumped off the tracks around 11:35 PM. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but the tracks were blocked for nearly seven hours.
Two Accidents in One Week
This crash happened only a few days after another train derailed in Balasore on January 23. In that case, three cars carrying cement and fertilizer went off the tracks at Rupsa station. Even though no one has been injured in these accidents, they are a big problem. They stop other trains from running on time and cost the economy a lot of money. People are now debating if the railway lines in Odisha are safe enough.
What Happened in Koraput?
The train went off the tracks inside the rail yard. Because it blocked a main path, a popular night train (the Jagdalpur–Visakhapatnam Night Express) had to take a different, longer route. Other cargo trains also had to stop and wait. Special repair teams rushed to the spot and worked all through the night. They used heavy machines to pull the train back onto the tracks. By 4:00 AM on Tuesday, the tracks were fixed, and trains could start moving again.
Why Do These Crashes Keep Happening?
While experts are still investigating the exact cause, there are a few reasons why this might be happening:
- Odisha moves a huge amount of coal and iron ore. The tracks are used so much that they might be wearing out.
- In the Koraput hills, it gets very hot during the day and cold at night. This can make the metal tracks bend or crack.
- Because these routes are so busy, there isn’t always enough time for engineers to shut down the lines and do deep repairs.
Public Concern
Many people who travel by train every day are getting nervous. They see these goods train accidents as a warning sign. One commuter in Koraput said, “If this happened to a passenger train full of families, it would be a disaster. We need to know the tracks are safe.”
The railway authorities have promised to investigate both accidents thoroughly to make sure they don’t happen again.
Two freight train derailments in Odisha within a week have raised safety concerns about railway track conditions. The latest incident near Koraput involved goods wagons derailing late at night, blocking tracks for nearly seven hours. Earlier, another freight train derailed at Rupsa in Balasore. Although no injuries were reported, the incidents disrupted train operations and prompted authorities to launch investigations into possible causes.
