An investigation into a major train accident that left 17 people dead and 34 others injured in the Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh last year has concluded that the accident was caused due to “error in train working”, adding that the collision could have been averted had the crew and operating staff followed the rules.
The inquiry by Pranjeev Saxena, Commissioner of Railway Safety of the North East Circle, has also exposed lapses on the part of the railway administration; the National Disaster Response Force’s lack of expertise in handling relief and rescue operations after train accidents; and systemic safety lapses, including the failure of anti-telescopic features in the coaches of both trains and the malfunctioning of an automatic signalling system.
These findings come at a time when Indian Railways is promoting a ‘Safety First‘ culture across its network, amidst an increasing number of accidents and instances of trains passing signal at danger.
