Unsafe train operations due to signal and telecommunication shortcut methods - railway board alerted 60 days prior to Balasore accident

LUCKNOW: Precisely 60 days before the Balasore train accident which took more than 275 lives, the railway board in a letter to all general managers of 19 zones of Indian railways, cited five incidents of the current calendar year, including local train derailment at the crossover in Mumbai, an express train entering into washing area instead of a station, express as well as goods train diverted to wrong track on which another train was already en route from opposite direction — to highlight the short cut methods adopted by signal and telecommunication (S&T) department to resolve signal issues, resulted in unsafe train operations.

The letter written by railway board member infrastructure Roop Narayan Sunkar on April 3, 2023, went viral on social media Wednesday, with many railways former staff questioning the need for CBI inquiry in the Balasore railway accident when the department already knows the reason.

After the Balasore tragedy, railway minister Ashwini Vaishnav had indicated that someone made a change to the point machine, the configuration of the track, resulting in the collision. The Coromandel express had tragically entered the loop line after receiving a green signal, causing a collision that claimed numerous lives and left many injured.
According to Sunkar’s letter, in just 54 days that is between January 27 to March 22 of this year, Rajya Rani Express entering into washing line area instead of Lucknow junction station, a local train heading at platform number one of Kharkopar (Mumbai) but derailed while passing over emergency crossover, locomotive engine of Sarbat Da Bhala Express derailed at Ludhiana station while at point during reverse, a goods train traversed to wrong track from emergency crossover at Bagratawa railway station (Hoshangabad, Madhya Pradesh ), while Karnataka Sampark Kranti Express was also given wrong track while it was on loop line to continue its journey towards Hazrat Nizamuddin.
Sunkar wrote, “It was alarming and an issue of serious concern. The signaling gears were reconnected by S&T staff without proper testing of points (crossover) after blocks (in railway parlance, halting train operations until the error is rectified) for switch replacement, wrong wiring during preparatory works and other such practices reflect dilution of manual and codal provisions. Same are potential hazards to safety in train operations and need to be stopped".
The letter lambasted at S&T and stated, “The five incidences indicates that despite of repeated instructions from railway board, ground situation was not improving and signaling staff are continuing to adopt short cut methods for clearing signals without checking correspondence from site and without proper exchange of disconnection/reconnection memo, with operating staff".
“Officers and staff in the field need to be sensitized to ensure integrity of the signaling system being of utmost importance from a safety point of view. These aspects need to be reviewed in weekly safety meetings at divisional and headquarter level,” wrote Sunkar.
Speaking to TOI over phone to concur the authenticity of the letter Roop Narayan Sunkar said, “Yes letter was written, and instructions given by railway board have to be followed".
It’s worth mentioning that the letter became available in public domain on June 14, the last date on which all zones are required to submit their report to the railway board on deficiencies and irregularities recorded during the safety drive, which kick-started right after the Balasore train tragedy.