Odisha Train Accident: Officials Flagged Serious Lapses in Rail Safety Three Months Prior the Accident

New Delhi— The three-train accident in Odisha's Balasore district, which killed 275 people and injured over 1,000 more, has been solved, according to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday.

According to Ashwini Vaishnaw, the problem is with the electric point machine, which is essential to the railway signaling system and has "serious flaws" that were brought up by the chief operating manager of the South Western Railway Zone.

A letter has surfaced on social media after the incident, India Today reported that the South Western Railway Zone official had sent a letter citing the "serious flaws in the system" in reference to an express train signal failure that occurred three months prior. He emphasized, "serious system flaws where the dispatch route gets changed."

A very serious unusual incident occurred on February 8, 2023, at around 17.45 hrs. Up Train No. 12649 Sampark Kranti Express was starting from Road 1 with Paper Line Clear Ticket (PLCT) for an advance starter as same was failed due to BPAC (block proving axle counter) failure, the starter was working alright, thus, taken off at 17.45 hrs. As to PLCT, the train was intended to pass through up the main line, however the loco-pilot of train no. 12649 Sampark Kranti Express stopped the train before Point No. 65 A because he noticed that the point was adjusted to down the main line (the wrong line).

Serious shortcomings in train safety were also noted in an audit report from the previous year that was submitted to Parliament. According to an NDTV article, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, India's auditing office, sought to look into how the railway ministry adopted preventive measures against derailments and collisions in a 2022 report focusing on derailments within Indian Railways.

"There were shortfalls ranging from 30 to 100 percent in Track Recording Car inspections required to assess the geometrical and structural conditions of railway tracks," the report stated.

The Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, and a goods train collided in Odisha Balasore, resulting in at least 275 fatalities and up to 1,175 injuries. The Union railway minister has blamed the accident on issues with railway signaling.

"The horrifying incident's root cause has been identified," Ashwini Vaishnaw said in a statement. He added, “I won't get into specifics here. The point machine's settings were modified. The investigation report will explain how and why it was done. The electrical interlocking system changes are to blame for this accident.”

Additionally, Ashwini Vaishnaw made it clear that the Kavach protection system is unrelated to the Odisha railway tragedy.

The electric point machine is crucial for railway signaling because it makes it possible for point switches to be operated quickly and locked securely. It is essential for ensuring that trains travel safely.

Probe Begins

The formal investigation into India's deadliest rail accident in more than 20 years got underway on Monday after early results indicated that a collision that left at least 275 people dead and 1,200 injured was most likely caused by a signal failure.

The tragedy occurred on Friday when a passenger train in the eastern state of Odisha crashed a halted goods train, jumped the tracks, and struck another passenger train traveling in the other direction.

Trains started traveling over that portion of the line again on Sunday night after nonstop efforts to find survivors, clear the track, and make repairs.

While repairs were being made at the trackside, trains gently passed by the derailed and damaged trackside.

According to Reuters, A.M. Chowdhary, the commissioner of railway safety for the south-eastern circle, organized a two-day inquiry, and railway officials and witnesses gathered there to provide testimony. This was 120 km (75 miles) further north in the West Bengal state of Kharagpur.

"All site participants have been requested to participate in the investigation. We are considering every angle, but the investigation will take time, Chowdhary told reporters.

The federal Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) should lead the investigation into the disaster's cause, according to a recommendation by India's Railway Board.

Chowdhary stated that while the CBI probe might be ongoing, he will give his findings to the Railway Board.

The Indian Penal Code sections relating to "grievous hurt" or "endangering life" by negligence became the subject of another complaint from the Railway Police, this time without naming any specific parties.