Overhead wire failure at Dakshineswar station disrupts train services in West Bengal
Train services on the busy Sealdah-Dankuni route faced significant disruptions on Wednesday night, July 29, 2026, following a major overhead electric (OHE) wire failure at Dakshineswar station. The incident, which caused panic among commuters, resulted in the temporary suspension of traffic on both the up and down lines, impacting thousands of passengers across the Sealdah main line and Bongaon sections.
- Incident occurred on July 29, 2026, between 8:50 PM and 10:30 PM.
- A Dankuni-Sealdah local train’s pantograph entangled with an 11,000-volt OHE line.
- Services were suspended on the Sealdah-Dankuni, Sealdah main line, and Bongaon routes.
- No injuries were reported, with officials confirming that passengers remained safe inside the coaches.
- Full train operations were restored by July 31, 2026, following emergency repairs.
Details of the Incident
The disruption began when the pantograph of a Dankuni-Sealdah local train became entangled with the overhead electrical equipment. This caused the 11,000-volt wire to snap and fall onto the adjacent track. The resulting sparks and smoke created a scene of panic at the station, leading some passengers to jump from trains in an attempt to reach safety.
Eastern Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer confirmed that the incident was a technical failure. Upon notification, railway authorities immediately cut the power supply to ensure safety and dispatched emergency response teams and engineers to the site. A tower wagon was utilized to carry out urgent repairs to the damaged infrastructure.
Safety and Restoration
Despite the chaotic nature of the event, railway officials confirmed that no injuries were reported. Experts noted that passengers remained safe inside the metallic coaches due to the Faraday cage effect, which protects occupants from external electrical discharges.
As of July 31, 2026, the repair work has been completed, and train services are now running smoothly. The railway department has launched an investigation into the root cause of the equipment failure to implement preventive measures and avoid similar disruptions in the future. Commuters are advised to check the latest schedules via the official railway portals as operations return to normalcy.