Two loco trains collide inside a tunnel in Chamoli; 70 injured
A construction site accident occurred in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. Two loco trains carrying workers inside a tunnel of the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation in Pipalkoti collided. 70 workers were reportedly injured in the accident. The incident occurred on Tuesday night at around 10 PM when the workers’ shift was changing. Approximately 108 workers were on board the two trains.
चमोली जनपद के पीपलकोटी स्थित निर्माणाधीन टीएचडीसी विष्णुगाड-पीपलकोटी जल विद्युत परियोजना की टीबीएम साइट पर मंगलवार को शिफ्ट परिवर्तन के दौरान सुरंग के भीतर मजदूरों को लाने-ले जाने वाली दो लोको ट्रेनों की आपस में टक्कर हो गई, घटना के समय 109 श्रमिक सुरंग के भीतर मौजूद थे।
घटना की… pic.twitter.com/urYd93rfAT— Uttarakhand DIPR (@DIPR_UK) December 31, 2025
This incident occurred during the construction of a hydropower project in Chamoli’s Pipalkoti, specifically during tunnel construction, and involved a local trolley transportation system and has no connection to Indian Railways. These were not Indian Railways trains; it was a local arrangement for transportation made by the tunnel project team.
How did the accident happen?
Initial investigations suggest that a technical malfunction caused one train to collide with the other from behind. The collision, which occurred in a dark section of the tunnel, caught the workers inside by surprise, and many fell inside the train. The collision caused panic and chaos inside the tunnel, and the workers were disoriented and unsure how to get out.
Upon receiving the information, project management personnel and local administration teams immediately reached the spot and launched rescue and relief operations. The injured were transported to Gopeshwar District Hospital in ambulances and other vehicles. Doctors at the district hospital say that most of the workers sustained minor injuries, while some have serious injuries and are under special observation.
