Railways launches probe after train skips scheduled stop

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The passengers of Train No 16649 Mangalore-Nagercoil Junction Parasuram Express had a harrowing experience on Thursday as the train got delayed for more than 90 minutes and did not halt at a designated station. Thiruvananthapuram railway division has launched a departmental inquiry into the breach of security and protocol by the loco pilot.

The train was scheduled to reach Thiruvananthapuram Pettah railway station at 6.42 pm and leave after a minute's halt. The train arrived at the station at 8.15pm on Thursday, but much to the chagrin of passengers who were about to alight at Pettah and those who had reached there to receive alighting passengers it proceeded without stopping there.

According to railway spokesperson, it was an error in judgment on the part of the loco pilot and a department inquiry has begun.

"The Thiruvananthapuram Pettah railway station had an intermediate block signal (an additional signal given in a block section between two adjoining stations) to proceed towards Thiruvananthapuram, which is controlled at Thiruvananthapuram Central railway station. But since the train is provided stoppage at Thiruvananthapuram Pettah Railway station, the loco pilot should have stopped the train irrespective of the proceed signal," said the railway spokesperson.

There is no major safety violation on the part of the loco pilot as the proceed signal was on, said a senior railway official. "Had it been halt signal and the pilot proceeded, it would have been a major issue. This is also an error, but, not a grave one," the official said.

After realising the error, the loco pilot applied brakes. But the train had passed the Pettah railway station by then. It had halted at the outer area of the Central railway station briefly and some passengers got down there.

"Passengers who had to alight at the outer area complained that it was difficult for them to walk on the track in the night hours. It is arare incident as all the stoppages of the train is known to the loco pilot. A decision in this regard will be taken after the department inquiry," added the railway official.