Lapses At Multiple Levels”: Report Of Inquiry Into Odisha Train Tragedy

New Delhi: 

A high-level inquiry has found “wrong signalling” to be the main reason for the Balasore train accident and flagged “lapses at multiple levels” in the signalling and telecommunication (S&T) department, but indicated that the tragedy could have been averted if past red flags were reported.

The independent inquiry report submitted by the Commission of Railway Safety (CRS) to the Railway Board said notwithstanding the lapses in signalling work, remedial actions could have been taken by the S&T staff if “repeated unusual behaviour” of switches connecting two parallel tracks were reported to them by the station manager of Bahanaga Bazar, the spot of the accident.

The report also suggested that the non-supply of station-specific approved circuit diagram for the works to replace the electric lifting barrier at level crossing gate 94 at Bahanaga Bazar station was a “wrong step that led to wrong wiring”.

It said that a team of field supervisors modified the wiring diagram and failed to replicate it.

The report also said that there was a similar incident on May 16, 2022, at Bankranayabaz station in Kharagpur Division of South Eastern Railway, on account of wrong wiring and cable fault.

“Had corrective measures been taken, after this incident, to address the issue of wrong wiring the accident at BNBR would not have taken place,” the report said.

The accident on June 2 resulted in the deaths of 292 people and over 1,000 were injured.