Rail Minister Vaishnaw discloses root cause of Odisha Train Accident
According to a preliminary investigation conducted by senior railway officials, the line where the two trains collided was "partially corroded".
New Delhi, June 04: Investigators are currently examining potential causes, including human error and signal failure, behind the train accident in Odisha's Balasore.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Sunday that the root cause of the three-train accident in Balasore, Odisha, has been identified. The minister, who was present at the accident site overseeing the restoration work, stated that the inquiry into the tragic incident is complete, and the commissioner of railway safety will soon submit the report.
"Inquiry is also over. Commissioner rail safety will submit an inquiry report soon, and all facts will be revealed. The root cause of this horrific accident has been identified," Vaishnaw stated to ANI, without disclosing the specific reason behind the crash that claimed the lives of at least 294 people and left hundreds injured.
Also Read: Railways minister prioritises restoration efforts over political debates in Odisha Train Tragedy
The Coromandel Express, bound for Chennai with approximately 1,500 passengers, collided with a stationary freight train at the Bahanaga Bazar railway station in Balasore on Friday night. The wreckage of the crash also derailed another express train traveling from Bengaluru to Kolkata that was passing through the area.
Initial findings suggest that a "mistaken" signal may have led the Coromandel Express to enter a side track called the loop line, where a goods train was parked a few meters ahead. According to a preliminary investigation conducted by senior railway officials, the line where the two trains collided was "partially corroded."
The report, reviewed stated that the Coromandel Express entered the loop line near Bahanaga Bazar railway station in Balasore around 7 pm on Friday due to a "mistaken" signal, which was immediately withdrawn.
"After careful observation, (we) came to the conclusion that the signal was given and taken off for the main line for 12841 (Coromandel Express), but this train entered the loop line and collided with the goods train which was on the loop line and derailed," the report, signed by four senior railway officials who inspected the accident site on Friday night, stated.
The exact cause of the accident will be determined through a detailed technical inquiry conducted by the commissioner of railway safety. The Union railway ministry has already initiated a high-level probe into the incident.
Vaishnaw also mentioned that restoration work is progressing rapidly, with the aim of completing it by Wednesday morning.
Also Read: Odisha Train Tragedy: Death toll rises to 294, opposition demands rail minister's removal