This indication comes at a time when the Railways has ordered a comprehensive review of its signalling systems in the wake of the accident that claimed at least 275 lives and injured more than 1,000.
Railway ministry officials said the Bengaluru-Howrah Express and the Coromandel Express were moving at more than 120 kmph on parallel tracks at the time of the incident. “This is because both had got green signal and the loco pilots were under the impression that there were no obstructions ahead,” said another senior official, who did not wish to be identified.
“Despite the green signal, the physical infrastructure (tracks) on which the Coromandel Express was plying was directed towards a stationary goods train,” the official said.
This led to the Coromandel Express crashing into the goods train and some coaches of the passenger train hitting the rear coaches of the Bengaluru-Howrah Express, derailing them as well, said the official.
On Monday, the Government Railway Police (GRP) registered a first information report (FIR) in connection with the accident. The FIR said the culpability of specific railway employees has not been ascertained yet, but it would be established during the investigation. Charges of ‘causing death by negligence’ were being probed, it said.In addition to the GRP, the Commissioner of Railway Safety (South Eastern Circle), is holding a statutory inquiry in connection with this accident.”The Commissioner of Railway Safety will establish the cause of the accident and identify the officers responsible, while the CBI will establish if there was any criminal intent,” a third officer said on Monday.
According to senior railway ministry officials, all 19 railway zones, including the dedicated freight corridor, have been asked to submit a report of all deficiencies and irregularities in signalling equipment by June 14. The priority is to ensure that the signalling equipment within station limits is checked.
Friday’s accident was among the deadliest in the history of the national transporter. It was a reminder of the November 2016 incident, when the Indore-Patna Express derailed near Pukhrayan in Uttar Pradesh killing nearly 150 persons.
The accident in Odisha and subsequent damage to the railway infrastructure impacted the movement of more than 100 trains. Late Sunday evening, railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw tweeted that both the impacted railway lines were restored, and train movement had resumed on the busy route. He had earlier said that investigation into the cause of the accident would be referred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
