Tin Shed Collapses At Lucknow S Charbagh Railway Station Three Injured

A large portion of a tin shed collapsed on Platform No. 5 of the Charbagh railway station in Lucknow on Friday morning, injuring three people, including a travelling ticket examiner (TTE), and forcing railway authorities to stop the approaching Howrah-Dehradun Express moments before it entered the platform, preventing what could have turned into a major tragedy.

Railway officials said the incident occurred around 8am amid ongoing construction and repair work linked to the concourse project at the station. The collapse triggered panic among passengers and raised serious questions over safety arrangements at one of North India’s busiest railway stations.

In an official statement, Northern Railway said the project engineer and a supervisor were suspended and a penalty of ₹50 lakh imposed on the contractor. A high-level committee was constituted to investigate the incident, the statement added.

According to railway officials, the overhead tin shed suddenly gave way and crashed onto the platform, trapping passengers and railway staff beneath twisted metal sheets and debris. Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel, station staff and local workers immediately launched rescue operations and pulled out the injured.

The TTE, Bhupendra, suffered a fractured leg in the incident, while two passengers, identified as Abhishek and Sahil, also sustained injuries. Sahil reportedly suffered severe thigh injuries after his leg became trapped under the collapsed structure. Authorities shifted all three injured to a private hospital, where they are undergoing treatment.

Sunil Kumar Verma, divisional railway manager, Northern Railway, confirmed that a portion of the platform shed collapsed around 8am, causing injuries to three persons. He said Railway Protection Force personnel swiftly rescued the victims and shifted them for treatment. Verma added that construction work for the Air Concourse project has been ongoing and (the adjoining) Platform No. 4 has remained blocked for passenger trains since May 15.

The DRM said railway authorities would take strict action against the construction agency and railway officials found responsible for the incident.

“At around 8am today, a portion of the platform shed over Platform 5 at Lucknow Charbagh Station tilted on PF surface. Three individuals sustained minor injuries in the incident. RPF personnel responded swiftly, rescuing all three victims, who were subsequently admitted to a private hospital. A railway medical team also deputed to hospital for providing assistance. Two persons have been discharged from the hospital. The area is currently undergoing construction for a new air concourse, which required the temporary closure of Platform 4 to passenger trains from May 15 to June 23, 2026.

The work is being executed by Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA). A committee of three senior officials from HQ has been constituted to investigate the cause of the incident,” the Northern Railway statement said.

“Strict action has been taken against the EPC contractor , team leader of PMC, Project engineer of RLDA and railway senior section engineer responsible for the lapses in execution and supervision. Details are as under: EPC contractor has been penalised for Rs.50 lacs for this damage,

team leader of PMC (authority engineer ) has been immediately removed from this work, project engineer of RLDA has been suspended immediately, incharge works supervisor of LKO Divn has also been suspended,” the statement added.

“An investigation has been initiated, and further action will be taken in the matter. Primarily, negligence over the last two days appears to be one of the reasons behind the collapse, particularly after a crane was brought to the site,” said Rajesh Pandey, general manager, Northern Railway, said.

Eyewitnesses said passengers screamed and ran for safety as the metal structure collapsed with a loud noise. Several passengers abandoned luggage and rushed away from the platform fearing further collapse. People familiar with the matter said the Howrah-Dehradun Express was approaching Platform No. 5 at the time of the incident, but railway officials halted the train before it reached the affected area.

Railway authorities later deployed cranes and heavy machinery to clear the damaged structure, to remove debris and restore movement around the platform. Officials sealed the staircase leading to Platform No. 5 and restricted passenger entry during the clearance operation.

A video of the incident, which went viral on social media shortly after the collapse, showed railway police personnel and bystanders attempting to lift bent metal sheets while injured passengers remained trapped underneath. An injured man could be seen lying helplessly on the platform as rescuers tried to free his leg from the debris.

During an HT visit to the station around 11.30am, police personnel deployed near the blocked staircase revealed that the damaged tin shed extended nearly 400 to 500 metres. Personnel at the site acknowledged that authorities should have restricted passenger movement near the construction zone to prevent such an incident.

Despite heavy passenger movement at Charbagh station, construction activities continued near operational platforms, exposing commuters to potential hazards. Passengers questioned why safety barricades and protective measures were insufficient despite large-scale work being underway for several weeks.