The PAC, chaired by senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, in its report tabled in Parliament also pointed out lacunae in adhering to Joint Procedure Orders (JPO) relating to the digging work in vicinity of signalling, electrical and telecommunication cables.
Referring to the Balasore train tragedy that claimed 291 lives, the committee said, “In light of the potential accidents that could arise due to cable cuts, the committee emphatically urge the Ministry to prioritise protection and maintenance of Optical Fiber Cable (OFC) communication system.”
“The recent derailment of Train No. 12841, Coromandel Express…serves as a stark reminder of the serious consequences such incidents may have,” the committee said, asking the Railways Ministry to take immediate action and invest in advanced technology for proactive fault detection.
The PAC also noted that many work orders lacked penalties for violating the JPO provisions. According to the committee, this showcased a reluctance by the Railway Administration to impose and recover penalties.“They (the PAC) have therefore recommended that the Ministry of Railways float standard tender and enforce stringent JPO adherence by incorporating a ‘Penalty Clause’ in all contract and work orders,” a statement from the Lok Sabha secretariat said.
