It Was an ‘Accident-in-Waiting’: Report

Newsreel Asia Insight #285
July 18, 2024

The catastrophic collision between the Kanchenjunga Express and a freight train in West Bengal in June, resulting in 10 fatalities and numerous injuries, has been declared an “accident-in-waiting” in a report by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), which has pinpointed multiple administrative and operational errors.

The CRS referred to a critical error involving the wrong paper authority to pass (T/A 912), which lacked specific speed instructions for the locomotive pilot while crossing the signal, as reported by Business Standard. It contributed significantly to the accident in Darjeeling district, which the report categorises under “Error in Train Working.”

A “travel authority” refers to a document that grants permission for a train to travel on a specific part of the rail network under certain conditions. It’s essentially an authorisation for the train crew, giving them the necessary clearance to proceed along a designated route. This authority often includes specific instructions regarding speed, the route to be taken, and other safety protocols that need to be followed.

“Due to improper authority and that too without adequate information, such an incident was an ‘accident-in-waiting,’” the report explained.

The investigation revealed that seven trains had passed a malfunctioning signal along the route, with each train approaching or crossing it at varying speeds. This shows a lack of clear and uniform guidelines for the train crews on how to handle the situation when encountering a defective signal. The varied responses to the same signal problem posed significant safety risks, contributing to the conditions that led to the accident.

Unlike the others, only the Kanchenjunga Express adhered to the protocol that required locomotive pilots to proceed with caution.

The CRS expressed concern over the knowledge gap among railway instructors.

Since the Katihar division of the railway network started using automatic signalling in January 2023, at least 275 failures had occurred until June 20, 2024, compromising the safety, according to the report. The automatic signalling systems are designed to enhance the safety and efficiency of train operations by automatically adjusting signals based on the position and speed of trains.

The Railways Ministry has reportedly updated its operating procedures for train crews, standardising authority forms and reinforced a comprehensive training for loco pilots and assistant loco pilots.

A plan to enhance the reliability of signalling equipment is in the works, under the supervision of the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO).

Indian Railways is one of the largest and most comprehensive rail networks in the world. It’s a lifeline for a vast segment of the country’s population. For many, especially in rural areas, trains are a vital means of reaching better-equipped urban healthcare facilities. On average, around 22 million passengers travel by Indian Railways each day.