Park Street mishap: CMRS finds no lapses on Metro’s part

KOLKATA: The Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS) has not found any procedural lapses on the part of Metro Railway after probing the accident at Park Street on July 13 that resulted in the death of 66-year-old Kasba resident Sajal Kanjilal. According to a highly-placed source in the Railway Board, the CMRS did not detect any technical fault with the rake involved in the accident.
“Though the CMRS has nothing to do with Indian Railways and is under the ministry of civil aviation, we have got to know that he has come to the conclusion that it was nothing but a tragic accident. Further details will be known when he submits his final report in August. Passengers will have to be more careful as more people are now using the Metro than ever before. They should not take unnecessary risks and try to force their way into packed trains,” the source said.
According to him, the recommendations made by the CMRS to Metro Railway are general in nature to aid in preventing further accidents. In no way do they establish that the Metro was at fault for the July 13 accident. The CMRS, during his stay in Kolkata, went through closed-circuit television footage from several angles. Some portions were also converted into still images and enlarged to give him a better idea of what happened. It was clear that railway staff present on the platform attempted to save him but couldn’t get to him on time.
“Kanjilal seems to have remained quiet all the while and didn’t even cry out for help. That he climbed on to the ledge below the doors without making any effort to pull out his fingers points to the fact that he didn’t have any intention to let go. The motorman also applied brakes as soon as he realised what was happening outside. Kanjilal’s death was an accident. He may not have been killed had he not fallen on the electrified third rail current collector,” the source added.