Around 20 coaches of Ahmedabad bound 19168 Sabarmati Express derailed near the holding line ahead of Govindpuri station in Kanpur at around 0230 hrs.
However none was injured in the accident, railway official on Saturday claimed.
According to information received from Railways, train number 19168, Sabarmati Express was going from Varanasi to Ahmedabad and there was a derailment in a block section between Kanpur and Bhimsen stations.
Senior officials of Railway, Police and Fire Department have reached the spot. Relief and rescue work is going on and passengers are being taken to the Kanpur central station by buses and three MEMU trains.
As per the preliminary reports the driver of the ill fated train claimed that a boulder hit the engine, due to which the cattle guard of the engine was badly damaged and got bent. The speed of the train was about 90 kilometers per hourcat the time of the incident. The driver stopped the train by applying emergency brakes.
However some eye witness claimed that a three feet long old railway track has been found near the accident site.
All the railway and police officers who reached the spot are investigating.
More than half a dozen JCBs are also busy repairing the track. The track is expected to be repaired by tomorrow evening as both the UP and Down lines were damaged.
Meanwhile, railways have diverted or cancelled several trains passing through the route. Helpline numbers were also issued.