Faulty signal lights may be the cause of Indian train tragedy

Faulty track signals may have caused a collision of three trains in Balasore, Odisha state, Indian railway officials have revealed.

"The Coromandel Express (Shalimar - Chennai line) on the evening of June 2 was supposed to enter the main track. However, the signal was switched on to guide the train onto the side track, causing it to hit the goods train parked there," KS Anand, communications director of South Eastern Railway, told Reuters on June 3. The Coromandel train was traveling at a speed of 127 km/h.

After colliding with the freight train, several carriages of the Coromandel train overturned and blocked two adjacent tracks, derailing the Howrah Express (Bengaluru - Howrah route) as it approached at a speed of 116 km/h.

New developments have emerged suggesting that the Coromandel was the first ship to trigger the chain of events, as opposed to the initial reports that it was the Howrah.

Rescue workers search for survivors and bodies of victims after three trains collided in Odisha state, eastern India, on the night of June 3. Photo: Reuters

According to India Express , railway officials gave the green light to the Coromandel train to enter the main track. However, the signal was turned off for unknown reasons. The Indian Railway Safety Board has not yet completed its investigation into whether the signal was faulty, or whether there was negligence on the part of the signal operator or the train driver.

Indian officials announced on the evening of June 3 that the search and rescue phase of the railway tragedy had ended. All bodies and injured passengers had been removed from the scene.

"The rescue operation has been completed. We have moved on to repair work," Indian Railways spokesman Amitabh Sharma said.

Nearly 24 hours after the accident, rescuers found at least 288 bodies and more than 900 injured. Sudhanshu Sarangi, Odisha state fire chief, feared the death toll could rise to 380 as some passengers were in critical condition.

India has the world's fourth-largest rail network, with a total length of more than 126,000 km. The system has been a key part of India's modern history and economic development, according to experts.

However, India's railway system has been plagued by poor maintenance and dilapidated infrastructure. In 2021, India recorded nearly 18,000 rail accidents, killing more than 16,400 people, most of whom were recorded as "falls from trains or collisions with people on the tracks".

Thanh Danh (According to Reuters, Hindustan Times, India Express )

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