Odisha train accident: Train services resumed, Ashwini Vaishnaw prays for safe journey
Train services resume in Odisha's Balasore district after 51 hours of horrific triple train accident, claiming 275 lives. CBI may investigate the lapses.
PremiumTrain services resumed following the repair of damaged tracks after 51 hours of horrific triple train accident in Odisha's Balasore district which claimed 275 lives and left over 1,000 people injured, according to a report published by the news agency ANI.
Speaking to media persons, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the construction work on damaged tracks started soon after PM Modi sent out instructions for the restoration of ways.
He said that the whole team labored diligently to fix the damaged rails for the resumption of train services and both the lines were tested before services resumed.
"Services on both tracks have been restored. Normal train services on both lines were restored 51 hours after the accident," the minister said.
Meanwhile, The lapses resulting in the tragic accident in Odisha involving three trains may now be investigated by the CBI with the railway board recommending a probe by the country’s premier investigation agency.
“Based on whatever administrative information we have till now and taking into account the situation on in which this accident took place, the railway board would recommend further inquiry into the Balasore train accident by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)," Vaishnaw said on Sunday.
However, the minister has earlier said that the accident would be probed by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS).
While Vaishnaw did not say whether CBI probe would mean an end of investigations by the CRS, officers indicated that any finding by the railway inquiry would be shared with the CBI to facilitate a quicker investigation. The CBI would investigate whether the accident was result of a sabotage, signal error or human lapses.
It may be recalled that on Friday evening the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express colluded with a stationary goods train after entering a loop line, diverting from the main line for which green signal was available. The train at that time was runing at a speed of 128 km/hr.
This collision resulted in carriages derailing and ending up on an adjoining track. The Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express coming from the opposite direction and moving at a speed of 126 km/hr then rammed into the coaches and was also derailed.
After the goods train moved to loop line, the switch blades are supposed to move the track back, to let any new train approaching the station continue the main track itself. When the signal is green, a locking system ensures that the track has moved back to the original position.
This locking system, it seems failed, preventing tracks to come back to the main position and this diverted Coromandel express to the loop line to hit iron ore filled goods train.
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