The initial findings of the Kanchanjunga Express accident in West Bengal indicate that the goods train breached the speed restrictions set for the section due to a "defective" automatic signalling system and collided with the stationary passenger train while travelling at an excessive speed, as per the Railway Board's announcement on Monday.
The accident, which took place in the morning on the Ranipatra Railway Station (RNI)-Chattar Hat Junction (CAT) stretch in West Bengal's Darjeeling district, resulted in the deaths of seven passengers and two railway employees, with 41 individuals sustaining injuries.
The board said that although the driver of the goods train was authorised to cross all red signals between RNI and CAT as the automatic signalling system was "defective", the train's speed was above the permissible limit prescribed for this situation.
The freight train driver was operating at a speed exceeding the limit. As a result, it collided with the Kanchanjunga Express between RNI and CAT, as stated by the board in response to reports that the deceased driver had been issued a written authorization labelled TA 912 by the station master of Ranipatra, granting permission to pass all red signals.
The Railway Board, however, did not disclose the speed at which the goods train was travelling in that particular section.
The driver of the Kanchanjunga Express followed the prescribed procedures for handling a malfunction in the automatic signalling system, halted at all red signals for one minute, and resumed travel at 10 kmph. In contrast, the driver of the freight train "ignored" the procedures and collided with the stationary passenger train from the rear, according to the board.
Explaining the norms, an official of the board said, "The TA 912 was issued to the (goods train) driver and, according to norms, when encountering an automatic signal at "ON" aspect (red signal) and after waiting for the prescribed time, the driver should have proceeded with great caution at a speed not exceeding 15 kmph where visibility is good, and not exceeding 10 kmph where visibility is not good until the next stop signal." "He has to stop the train for one minute during the day time and two minutes at night at a red signal, and then start moving following the restricted speed norms," the official said.
The authority letter, TA 912, said, "Automatic signalling has failed, and you are hereby authorised to pass all automatic signals between RNI and CAT." It also mentions nine signals between RNI and CAT and authorises the goods train driver to cross all, ignoring whether they are showing red or caution (yellow or double yellow).
Earlier, a railway source told PTI that the automatic signalling system between RNI and CAT had been defective since 5:50 a.m. Monday.
Another railway official stated that if the automatic signalling system malfunctions, the station master provides written authority TA 912. This authorization allows the train driver to pass through all red signals in the section due to the defect.
"The station master of Ranipatra had issued TA 912 to Train No 1374 (Sealdah-Kanchanjunga Express)," the source said.
He added that "around the same time, a goods train, GFCJ, departed Rangapani at 8.42 am and hit the Kanchanjunga Express from behind at 8.55 am, resulting in the derailment of the guard's coach, two parcel coaches and a general seating coach (of the passenger train)".
"The collision happened because a goods train disregarded the signal and hit the Kanchanjunga Express, which was on its way to Sealdah from Agartala," Railway Board Chairperson Jaya Varma Sinha told reporters here soon after the accident that took place.
The Indian Railway Loco Runningmen Organisation (IRLRO) raised doubts about the railways' assertion that the driver ignored the red signal.
The organisation's working president, Sanjay Pandhi, said, "It is incorrect on the Railway Board’s part to say that the driver has to stop the train at a red signal for one minute and proceed with restricted speed after getting TA 912.” "Once a driver gets TA 912, he can proceed with whatever speed because the authority letter suggests that the line in the section is clear. The document said that the loco pilot of the goods train was authorised to cross red signals because they were defective. The authority letter doesn't mention any speed restriction," Pandhi added.
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