Bengal train mishap: Provisional investigation report submitted by CRS

Kolkata, July 16 (IANS) The Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) on Tuesday submitted the provisional report on the accident involving Kanchanjunga Express and a goods train in Darjeeling on June 17 this year.

In the report the CRS has pointed out that the accident occurred due to “lapses at multiple levels in managing the train operations under Automatic Signal failures.”

As per the report, where the accident has been classified under the category of “Error in Train Working”, it has been claimed that the first error was issuance of wrong paper authority to cross an area where the Automatic Signal system is non-functional.

The report has maintained that instead of issuing T/D912 category of paper authority, T/A 912 was issued to the goods train.

Second, as per the provisional investigation report, the Loco Pilot was also not provided with the necessary caution order to maintain a particular speed-limit while crossing the area where the Automatic Signalling system was non-functional.

The third error, as per the report was the “non-availability of critical safety equipment (Walkie-Talkie) with the Loco Pilot and the Train Manager.”

“The Station Master failed to take the signature of the Train Manager on Authority Operating Form TA 912 as prescribed in the form,” the provisional investigation report has read.

Another error, as per the report was the “inadequate counselling of Loco Pilots and Station Masters about train operation in Automatic Signaling territory creating misinterpretation and misunderstanding of Rules.

“The information in this report is preliminary and will be either supplemented or corrected during the course of investigation,” the provisional report read.

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