New Delhi, 31 December (H.S.): The Ministry of Railways issued a categorical clarification on Wednesday addressing misleading reports aired by various news channels regarding an incident in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, firmly distancing Indian Railways from the event.

The ministry emphasized that the mishap occurred during tunnel construction at a hydropower project, involving a locally arranged transportation trolley used by the project team, bearing no connection whatsoever to Indian Railways operations.

No Link to National Rail Network

The ministry explicitly stated that the train referenced in media coverage does not belong to Indian Railways but constitutes part of the project's internal transport arrangements at the site level.

Officials urged the public to disregard sensationalized narratives and rely solely on verified facts, underscoring the localized nature of the accident within the Vishnugad-Pipalkoti Hydro Electric Project tunnel where approximately 60 workers sustained injuries in a loco trolley collision late Tuesday.

Call for Responsible Reporting

This clarification follows widespread confusion after initial reports labeled the incident as a railway train accident, prompting the ministry's swift intervention to prevent misinformation amid heightened public scrutiny of infrastructure safety.

No broader implications for Indian Railways' network were indicated, with the ministry appealing for fact-based discourse on the matter.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar