2 coaches of Sikkim Mahananda Express derail in Bihar after red signal overshoot

Mahananda Express derailment: Two coaches of the Delhi-bound Sikkim Mahananda Express derailed near Ara in Bihar in the early hours of Sunday. No injuries were reported in the incident. However, rail traffic has been partially affected following the incident.

Ara railway station falls under the administrative jurisdiction of East Central Railway's Danapur Division. Speaking to Indianexpress.com, Saraswati Chandra, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of East Central Railway said the derailment occurred at around 4 am.

The railway official further said that, according to the initial investigation, the derailment occurred after the train overshot a red signal. "Shortly after the train departed from Ara railway station wrongly by train drivers.

Drivers misjudged their signal aspect," the official added. He added that a detailed inquiry will establish the exact circumstances that led to the incident. According to the National Train Enquiry System (NTES), the train departed from Alipurduar Junction on September 5 and reached Ara railway station at 3:54 am on Sunday, nine minutes behind schedule.

Following the derailment, the train was delayed by more than four hours. It reached Pt Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction at 10:49 am instead of its scheduled arrival time of 6:48 am, resulting in a delay of 4 hours and 1 minute.

The Sikkim Mahananda Express operates with train number 15483/15484. It runs on all days of the week. It covers a distance of 1,659 km in 35 hours and 15 minutes. The train comprises General Class, Sleeper Class, AC 3-Tier Economy, AC 3-Tier, AC 2-Tier and First AC coaches.

During its journey between Alipur Duar and Delhi Junction, the train number 15483/15484 stops at 59 railway stations. These are: Hasimara, Dalgaon, Binnaguri, Nagrakota, New Mal Junction, Sivok, Siliguri, Baghdogra, Naksalbari, Galgalia, Aluabari Road, Kishanganj, Dalkolha, Barsoi Junction, Azamnagar Road, Labha, Katihar Junction, Seamapur, Karagola Road, Kursela, Naugachia, Thana Bihpur Junction, Narayanpur, Pasraha, Mahes Khunt, Mansi Junction, Khagaria Junction, Sahibpur Kamal, Lakhminia, Begusarai, New Barauni Junction, Mokama Junction, Bakhtiyarpur Junction, Patna Junction, Danapur, ARA Junction, Buxar, DD Upadhyaya Junction, Mirzapur, Vindhyachal, Prayagraj Junction, Bharwari, Fatehpur, Kanpur Central, Rura, Jhinjhak, Phaphund, Etawah Junction, Shikohabad Junction, Firozabad, Tundla Junction, Jalesar Road, Hathras Junction, Aligarh Junction, Khurja Junction, Chola, Ghaziabad and Delhi Shahdara.

Anish Mondal is a journalist with over nine years of experience covering the railways and roadways. Currently a member of the Indianexpress.com editorial team, Anish specializes in high-impact sectors. Professional Journey Anish began his career at the public broadcaster Rajya Sabha Television (now Sansad TV), where he developed a foundational understanding of legislative processes and national governance.

In 2018, he transitioned to digital financial journalism at FinancialExpress.com, spending nearly six years refining his expertise in market trends and corporate reporting. Before joining The Indian Express in 2025, he served as a key contributor at ETNowNews.com.

Education & Expertise Anish’s reporting is backed by a rigorous academic background in communication and the humanities: Master of Journalism and Mass Communication (MJMC) – Apeejay Stya University Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Production (PGTVRJP) – Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication Bachelor of Arts (English Honours) – University of Calcutta Areas of Coverage Connectivity: Detailed reporting on the expansion of Indian Railways and National Highway networks.

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