Railways asks its zones to conduct safety audit in the wake of Balasore tragedy

Days after a massive train accident in Odisha's Balasore, the Indian Railways has asked all its 19 zonal offices to conduct a safety audit immediately, emphasising on "super check" of signalling systems.

With the preliminary probe pointing at a fault in the signalling system that led to the accident involving three trains, the Railway Board, in its communication to zonal railways, also instructed the latter to find out all deficiencies during safety drive and submit their reports by June 19.

The communication also said that all relay rooms, goomties housing the signaling equipment, points, and their double-locking arrangements must be checked with 100 per cent surety.

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“All relay rooms in stations should be checked and proper working of ‘double locking arrangement’ be ensured. It should also be checked and ensured that there is data logging and SMS alerts for opening and closing of doors of the relay rooms,” said the letter.

Field staff have been asked to check the system of disconnection and reconnection for signalling and telecommunication (S&T) equipment as per the laid down norms and guidelines.

A top railway official in the South Western Railway had earlier this year flagged flaws in the interlocking system and warned of disaster if the mistakes were not rectified.

The officer had informed the Indian Railways that the S&T staff are bypassing the electronic interlocking system to rectify error of signals without following the procedure in order to avoid detention of trains.

The officer was referring to the major train accident that was averted on February 8 this year due an alert locomotive pilot on the Bengaluru-New Delhi Sampark Kranti Express at Hosadurga Road Station, Mysuru Division.

A preliminary report into Friday's Odisha train accident suggested that the incident was a result of the Coromandel Express moving onto the loop line instead of the main line, and hitting the goods train already parked there.