4 rail accidents in less than 12 hours, 7 killed, 11 injured

NEW DELHI/ALLAHABAD: Four train accidents in less than 12 hours killed seven people and left at least 11 injured, raising serious questions about the railways’ safety record and its competence.There were two derailments—one in Uttar Pradesh’s Chitrakoot district that killed three people and another in Odisha when a Paradip-Cuttack goods train jumped the rails but caused no fatalities.In another accident, a local passenger train hit a Bolero vehicle packed with a marriage party at an unmanned crossing, killing four people and injuring two near Amethi, UP.In the fourth incident, the engine of the Jammu-Patna Archana Express separated from the train near Saharanpur, UP.The derailments could not be averted despite the railway authorities’ “over-cautious” approach of deliberately slowing down trains to ensure more “blocks (time period)” for maintenance and track renewal, which is delaying most trains and inconveniencing passengers.Thirteen coaches of the Vasco da Gama-Patna Express derailed at 4.18am, soon after leaving Manikpur railway station in Chitrakoot district, about 250km from Lucknow. At least three people were killed and nine injured.An official said the casualties in the Chitrakoot accident could rise to six. “The train was running at 90kmph as there was no stoppage at Manikpur. The way 13 coaches derailed, I can only say the passengers were very lucky,” said an official.‘Fractured track led to train derailment’According to preliminary reports, a “rail fracture” caused the Chitrakoot accident, putting another question mark on the transporter’s ability to run safe train operations. “It seems the tracks were not checked with an ultrasonic device that can detect small fractures caused by extreme temperature variations in winter,” the official added.Another official said the track seemed “weak” and “wet”, pointing a finger at poor maintenance despite the high priority given to track renewal and maintenance by Indian Railways brass.UP chief minister Yogi Aditya Nath has announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the family members of those killed, Rs 50,000 each for those seriously injured and Rs 25,000 each for those who suffered minor wounds.Railway minister Piyush Goyal had said he had asked officials not to entertain any requests — not even from him — to let trains pass when maintenance work was being carried out because track renewal was essential. Goyal’s diktat resulted in an increase in speed restrictions for maintenance work, which led to train delays and inconvenience to passengers. Further disruptions are expected because the winter fog is yet to roll in.Sources suggested railway officers had failed to understand the “spirit” behind the order given by Goyal, who was made railway minister after his predecessor, Suresh Prabhu, had resigned in the wake of the August 19, 2017 Utkal Express derailment in which 23 people perished.