'Trains were running within permitted limit': Railway Board rules out overspeeding, says only Coromandel Exp crashed

The Railway Board on Sunday said both trains that collided in Odisha's Balasore were running within their permitted limit of 130 kmph. The tragic accident happened around 7 pm on Friday when Chennai-bound Coromandel Express (12841) collided with a stationary goods train near Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore. Today, Railway Board's Jaya Varma Sinha said that this train was running at 128 kmph, which is within the permitted limit of 130. At the same time, Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express (12862) passed through the down main line and two of its coaches derailed and capsized. This train was running at 126 kmph.

Sinha, who is a Member of Operation and Business Development in the Railway Board, said the driver of the train who sustained serious injuries said that the train moved forward only after it received a 'Green' signal. "Neither did he jump any signal nor the train was overspeeding," she said while speaking to the news agency ANI.

Sinha said safety is the top priority for Railways. "We are making sure that the evidence does not get tampered with and that any witness does not get affected."
   
According to the preliminary probe report, the signal was given and taken off for the up main line for Coromandel Express. The train entered the loop line, dashed with the goods train, and derailed. In the meantime, Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express passed through the down main line and two of its coaches derailed and capsized.

The official said the cause of the accident was yet to be known. "Inquiry is underway, we are investigating all angles. Prima facie it appears to be an issue of signalling, but we cannot authenticate anything as of now," she said. Sinha said with restoration work underway, at least two railway lines are expected to be operational by 8 pm today at the site. "We expect that trains will start running at a low speed," she said.

Earlier in the day, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the root cause of the three-train crash and the people responsible for it had been identified. He also said the Railways was aiming to restore normal services on the affected tracks by Wednesday. Talking to reporters at the accident site, the railway minister said the issue was of electric point machine, a vital device for railway signalling, and electronic interlocking.

The change that was made to electronic interlocking which led to the accident had been identified. "The enquiry into the accident has been completed and as soon as the commissioner of railway safety (CRS) provides his report all the details will be known. The root cause of the horrifying incident has been identified...I do not want to go into details. Let the report come out. I will just say that the root cause and the people responsible have been identified," the railway minister said.

Vaishnaw said restoration work was being carried out on a war footing and tracks have already been laid on one of the main lines. "We have mobilised all resources. I also want to say that Kavach has nothing to do with the accident. This accident occurred due to changes to the electronic interlocking system. The remarks of (West Bengal chief minister) Mamata Banerjee is not true," he said. "The setting of the point machine was changed. How and why it was done will be revealed in the probe report."

The death toll in the tragic accident has risen to 275. 

(With inputs from PTI)