Kanchanjunga accident: Goods driver was cleared to pass red signals, say sources
The goods train that rammed the Kanchanjunga Express in Bengal on Monday, killing nine people, was allowed to cross all red signals as the automatic signalling system was not working, sources told India Today.
The source said a written authority called TA 912 was issued to the driver of the goods train by the station master of Ranipatra, allowing him to cross all red signals between Ranipatra station and Chattar Hat Junction.
The ‘TA 912’ is generally issued when there is no obstruction or any train on the line on the section. The driver was also instructed to cross the section slowly where the automatic signalling system was not working.
The automatic signalling system between Ranipatra and Chattar Hat was not working since 5.50 am, PTI reported quoting sources.
However, in its initial statement, the Railway Board said the collision might have happened because the goods train disregarded the signal and hit the Kanchanjunga Express, which was on its way to Kolkata’s Sealdah from Tripura’s Agartala.
Furthermore, the stretch of the Guwahati-Delhi route is still not covered by ‘Kavach’ or anti-train collision system. The route is critical as it connects northeast India with the rest of the country.
In a press conference, chairperson of the Railway Board Jaya Varma Sinha said that Kavach was being planned for the route. The loco pilot of the goods train and the guard of Kanchanjunga Express were among those who died in the collision.
Meanwhile, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who visited the accident site, told reporters that the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) had started a probe into the cause of the accident.
The incident, which comes a year after the Coromandel Express tragedy in which over 290 people were killed, saw the opposition mounting a scathing attack on Vaishnaw and seeking his resignation.
Congress’s Supriya Shrinate said the minister was “busy making reels” and had no time to spare to discuss the safety of people.