Report of Kamgar Ekta Committee (KEC) correspondent
On 11 October 2024, the Mysore Darbhanga Bagmati Express collided into a stationary goods train at the Kavaraipettai railway station, in Chennai Division of Southern Railway leading to injuries to nineteen passengers.
The Express train which was given a green signal to proceed on the main line, however entered the loop line and collided with the stationary goods train which was standing there.
This accident could have led to loss of large number of deaths if the train was not already slowing down; fortunately, it was only at a speed of 75 Km per hour. In the case of the triple train collision in Balasore of 2 June 2023, where more than 300 people died due to signal problem, the express train was going at full speed of 130 Km per hour when it rammed into the stationary goods train on the loop line.
According to safety experts, in an automatic-signalling system, the signal leads to the interlocking of tracks. It means if the signal is green for the main line, the tracks will automatically be set in such a way that the train comes on the main line. It is not clear how the passenger train went into loop line.
The Railways are conducting an enquiry to find out what caused the failure. Most such enquiries end up holding some technician or engineer or operating staff responsible for the accident without going into systemic reasons which are leading to repeated cases of accidents and derailments.
Every week or ten days you hear of a train derailment. Every other day one learns of track maintainers or signal & telecom technicians being run over. Neither safe train operation nor safe working conditions for railway employees seem to be the priority of the highest railway authorities.
Not enough attention is being paid to replacement of the ageing signalling system, maintenance of points, replacement of worn out of tracks, training of staff.
The Railway administration needs to give priority to safety of train operations which includes replacement of ageing equipment, implementation of Kavach Anti Collision systems, filling up the huge number of vacancies in the safety category and all other necessary actions. It needs to allocate funds and resources for safe operations of existing trains instead of adding more trains without corresponding increase in resources for operation and maintenance.