Patna , A major rail disaster was narrowly averted in eastern India on Sunday morning when a 25,000-volt overhead catenary wire snapped and fell across the tracks on the busy Bhagalpur-Jamalpur section in Bihar, bringing train services to a standstill for nearly two hours.
The incident occurred shortly after 5:20 a.m. local time between Nathnagar and Murarpur stations, near Purani Sarai. Witnesses reported a loud explosion-like sound as the high-tension wire broke and collapsed onto the double-line electrified track, triggering panic among nearby villagers who immediately alerted emergency services.
Railway authorities halted all train movements on the section as a precautionary measure. The Down Danapur-Bhagalpur Intercity Express (train no. 13402) was stopped at Nathnagar at 5:43 a.m., while several other passenger and express trains were held at adjacent stations. Overhead power supply was immediately isolated to prevent electrocution risks to passengers, crew, or trackside personnel.
Happy Shankar, Senior Section Engineer (Traction Distribution), Eastern Railway, confirmed that the disruption was caused by the failure of a 25,000-volt catenary wire. “A technical team was mobilised without delay. After approximately two hours of intensive repair work, normal power supply was restored and train services resumed by 7:40 a.m.,” he said. An inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the exact cause of the wire snap, which officials said could range from material fatigue and ageing infrastructure to possible sabotage or external damage.
While no injuries were reported and the incident ended without loss of life or property, it has once again highlighted persistent concerns over the maintenance and reliability of India’s rapidly expanding electrified railway network. The Bhagalpur-Jamalpur route forms part of the busy Howrah-Delhi main line via the Kiul-Bhagalpur loop and handles heavy freight and passenger traffic.
Indian Railways has electrified over 96 per cent of its broad-gauge network under an ambitious ₹35,000-crore programme, but repeated incidents of overhead equipment failure, pantograph entanglements and wire snaps continue to pose operational and safety challenges, particularly in eastern India where much of the infrastructure dates back several decades.
Railway Board officials said safety protocols functioned as intended in Sunday’s incident, preventing what could have been a catastrophic accident had a train passed under the live wire. Services on the affected section returned to normal by late morning, with only minor delays reported on long-distance trains.
