Odisha Train Tragedy: Loco Pilots Didn't Exceed Speed Limit, Says Railways

NEW DELHI: The Railways absolved the loco drivers in the Odisha train tragedy of wrong-doing, saying that the Coromandel Express did not cross the speed limit and got the green signal to enter the loop line on which a goods train was waiting.

The horrific train accident, involving the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, and an iron- ore laden goods train, took place at around 7 pm on Friday near the Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore, about 170 kilometres north of Odisha’s Bhubaneswar.

Railway Board officials- Principal Executive Director of Signalling Sandeep Mathur and Member of Operation and Business Development Jaya Varma Sinha- reportedly suggested how the accident could have taken place.

The interlocking system’s operation appeared to have played a role in the accident happening, the officials said.

"Green signal means that in every way the driver knows that his path ahead is clear and he can go forward with his permitted maximum speed. The permitted speed at this section was 130 kmph and he was running his train at 128 kmph which we have confirmed from loco logs," Sinha said.

"Only one train was involved in the accident, it was the Coromandel Express. The Coromandel Express crashed with the goods train and its coaches went on top of the goods train. It was an iron ore-laden train, a heavy train, therefore the entire impact of the collision was on the train," the railway board official said.

Meanwhile, the injured engine driver Gunanidhi Mohanty’s condition and that of his assistant Hajari Behera are stable, said officials. Both of them, now undergoing treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, were rescued from the derailed Coromandel Express that met with the terrible accident near Bahanaga Bazar Station on fateful day of June 2. The accident is said to have claimed 275 lives and left around 1,200 injured, according to official figures.

Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of South Eastern Railway (SER) Aditya Choudhury said, "Both the drivers are stable. While Mohanty was taken out of the ICU on Monday, Behera is awaiting a head surgery.”

Their statements will be recorded after they recover somewhat, by the Commissioner Railway Safety, SER Circle, which started its investigation into the accident on Monday.

Also Read: Indian Army Appoints First Female Battalion Commander

Also Watch: