In a shocking revelation, it has come to light that the tragic rail accident in Balasore could have been avoided if railway officials had taken a warning letter written by railway board member seriously. The letter, titled "Unusual occurrences - Adoption of shortcut methods by staff," was written by R. N. Sunkar, Member/Infrastructure Railway Board, to general managers of all zonal railways on April 3rd, 2023. A copy of the letter is now in possession of FPJ.
The letter explicitly highlighted the alarming number of incidents involving unsafe practices related to signaling gears and points on various Zonal Railways. It emphasized that such incidents are a matter of serious concern and demanded immediate action. The letter specifically mentioned incidents in the Mumbai division of Central Railway, as well as Northern Railway, South Western Railway and South Central Railway.
Five unusual incidents
According to the letter five unusual incidents reported in the first three months of this year only including one (local train derailment) in Navi Mumbai, falls under Mumbai division of CR. Among these five incidents, two noteworthy occurrences took place in the Northern Zone, which is in close proximity to the railway board.One each in SWR and WCR.These incidents took place at Lucknow ( Uttar Pradesh) , Hosadurga ( Karnataka) , Ludhiana ( Panjab) Kharkopar ( Navi Mumbai Maharashtra), and Bagratawa station of Madhya Pradesh. According to the letter, the root cause of these incidents was the adoption of shortcut methods by signaling and S&T (Signal and Telecommunication) staff. The staff was reported to have reconnected signaling gears without proper testing after blocks for switch/turnout replacements, during preparatory works, and while attending signal failures. These practices were deemed a potential hazard to train operations and were strongly discouraged due to the dilution of safety provisions.
Despite repeated instructions from the Railway Board, the letter expressed concern that the ground situation was not improving. Signaling staff continued to bypass necessary protocols by clearing signals without checking correspondence from the site and without the proper exchange of disconnection/reconnection memos with operating staff.
The letter further highlighted the need for joint works with engineering staff, signal maintenance, and other repair activities to adhere to the provisions outlined in the Indian Railways Signal Engineering Manual (IRSEM). It stressed the importance of testing signaling gears after completion of engineering works and reconnecting them only after proper verification for the safety certification of the signaling system.
Letter highlighted need to sensitise field officers and staff
In light of ongoing infrastructure works with stringent targets, the letter emphasised the need to sensitise field officers and staff to ensure the integrity of the signaling system. It recommended a review of these aspects during weekly safety meetings at both divisional and headquarters levels.
"The Balasore rail tragedy, which claimed several lives and caused immense devastation, has raised serious questions about the railway officials' negligence in addressing safety concerns. If the warning letter had been taken seriously and necessary actions had been implemented, this unfortunate incident could have been averted," said a retired officer of Indian Railway.
"The revelation of this neglected letter has sparked outrage among the public, who are now demanding accountability from the authorities concerned. The need for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy and the subsequent actions (or lack thereof) taken by the railway officials is evident" he said.
"The authorities must learn from this incident and prioritize the implementation of robust safety measures to prevent similar accidents in the future. The safety and well-being of passengers should always remain the top priority for the Indian Railways, and immediate steps need to be taken to restore public confidence in the system" he further added.
Details of five incidents mentioned by member Infrastructure in his letter on April 3rd 2023 to the GMs of all zonal railways.
1. At Lucknow Station, Lucknow division of Northern Railway
Date: January 27th, 2023
Incident: The Meerut City - Lucknow Junction Rajya Rani Express, upon signaling for reception, entered the washing line area. The incident resulted from multiple cable cuts by a construction excavator during maintenance work. Unfortunately, the reconnection of cables after rectification was not tested, leading to the acceptance of a home signal without proper verification.
2. At Hosadurga Station, Mysuru division South Western Railway
Date: February 8th, 2023
Incident: The Karnataka Sampark Kranti Express was scheduled to change its route from the common loop line to the Up main line, requiring the reversal of points number 64 and 65. However, the alert driver noticed the situation and safely halted the train. This incident occurred due to a shortcut taken by a signal maintainer while attending to the failure of Block Proving Axle Counters (BPAC). The BPAC system ensures that a track section is clear before allowing another train to enter.
3. At Ludhiana Station, Firozpur Division of Northern Railway.
Date: February 18th, 2023
Incident: The engine of train no. 22480 Sarbat Da Bhala Express derailed on point number 286 in reverse during a signalled movement. Preliminary information suggests that the point was reconnected without ensuring proper housing in the reverse position after rail renewal work. This oversight resulted in the derailment.
4. At Kharkopar Station, Mumbai Division, Central Railway:
Date: February 28th, 2023
Incident: A down Local train, while signalled on the straight route for reception to platform 1 of Kharkopar, derailed while passing over an emergency crossover. Preliminary information indicates that incorrect wiring was done in the relay room during preparatory work for the commissioning of an auto section. This wiring error contributed to the derailment.
5. At Bagratawa Station, Jabalpur Division, West Central Railway.
Date: March 22nd, 2023
Incident: A Goods train designated for dispatch from the Up main line traversed to the Down main line through an emergency crossover. The point was reconnected by the Signal and Telecommunication (S&T) staff without proper testing after a traffic block for track maintenance work. This lack of thorough testing resulted in the improper functioning of the point.
