GAISAL — 1999 · Major Tragedy
Gaisal Train Disaster
At about 1:45 a.m. on 2 August 1999, the Avadh Assam Express from Delhi and the Brahmaputra Mail collided head-on on the same line at the remote Gaisal station in West Bengal. Around 2,500 people were aboard the two trains; officially at least 285 died and more than 300 were injured. On a night when most of the line was closed for maintenance, a signalling error at Kishanganj routed the express onto the mail train's track, and staff at the intervening stations failed to notice. Many soldiers were among the dead. Gaisal ranks among the deadliest accidents in the history of Indian Railways.
- Date
- 1999
- Place
- Uttar Dinajpur, West Bengal, India, Gaisal, IN
- Category
- Major Tragedy
- Case Status
- Closed
- Coordinates
- 26.2500, 88.0500 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 2 August 1999The two trains collided head-on at Gaisal station.
- August 1999A signalling error at Kishanganj was identified as the cause.
- AftermathThe railway minister resigned; signalling safety was debated.
Sources
- Wikipedia — Gaisal train collision en.wikipedia.org ↗
- Deccan Herald — Deadliest in Indian Railways' history deccanherald.com ↗
- ResearchGate — Ghaisal Train Accident researchgate.net ↗
- Wikipedia
- Deccan Herald
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.