About 108 Workers Were Travelling on the Two Trains at the Time of the Incident

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At least 60 people were injured after two locomotive trains collided inside a tunnel at a hydroelectric project site in Uttarakhand. The tragic incident occurred in Uttarakhand‘s Chamoli district, in the THDC hydropower project area at Pipalkoti on Tuesday (December 30, 2025) night, officials said.

Uttarakhand Tunnel Accident

The accident occurred around 8:30 pm inside the 4.5-km-long tunnel when one loco train rammed into another train during a shift change. According to the District Magistrate of Chamoli, Gaurav Kumar, the trains collided with 109 people on board. 

“During the time of shift-change, two loco trains operating in the tunnel collided at around 9:30 pm last night. 109 people were onboard the trains, out of whom 60 were injured, 42 people are admitted to the district hospital and 17 people are admitted to Pipalkoti’s Vivekananda Hospital.” said Kumar.

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SP Chamoli, Surjeet Singh, said that “42 people have been admitted to the district hospital, out of which 4-5 people have suffered fractures. 17 people have been admitted to Pipalkoti’s Vivekananda Hospital… Two trains collided in the project area. Our force and administrative officials are present in both hospitals.”

Bus Accident in Uttarakhand

A private bus went off the road and fell into a deep gorge in Uttarakhand’s Almora district. According to the SDRF, the bus was travelling from Bhikiyasain to Ramnagar with 18 passengers. 

Police confirmed that 6-7 people died on the spot in the accident, while the other injured passengers were admitted to the Government Hospital in Bhikiyasain.

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UK CM Expresses Grief

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami described the tragic incident as “painful” and “heart-wrenching,” and said that the situation is being continuously monitored.

“We have received the extremely distressing news of a bus accident on the Bikhiyasain-Vinayak Motor Road resulting in casualties among the passengers. This incident is profoundly painful and heart-wrenching. We pray to God to grant eternal peace to the souls of the departed and provide strength to the bereaved families. The injured passengers are being promptly admitted to nearby hospitals. The entire matter is under continuous monitoring,” said Dhami.

Final Thoughts

The 444-MW hydroelectric project, located on the Alaknanda River, is scheduled for completion next year. Loco trains are a key mode of internal transport during tunnelling operations. These trains carry workers and construction material inside the mountain.

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The incident has raised concerns over safety protocols at the project site during shift changes.