‘Electronic interlocking behind train accident’ Says Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw

BALASORE: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the tragic train accident in Odisha's Balasore occurred due to a "change in electronic interlocking," even as, under the Opposition’s pressure, he said that the Railway Board has recommended for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the accident.

Electronic interlocking is an arrangement of signal apparatus that prevents conflicting movements between trains through an arrangement of tracks. It is basically a safety measure to prevent signals from being changed in an improper sequence. The aim of this system is that no train gets the signal to proceed unless the route is proven safe.

Speaking to ANI, Ashwini Vaihsnaw said, "This is a different issue. It is about point machines and electronic interlocking. The change that occurred during electronic interlocking, the accident. Whoever did it and how it happened will be found out after a proper investigation."

He further said that restoration work is going on and normalcy will be restored before Wednesday morning.

"The commissioner of railway safety has investigated the matter, and it won't be right for me to comment on that. Let the investigation report come. But the cause of the accident has been identified, and the people responsible for it have also been identified. Right now, our focus is on restoration. There are two main lines and two loop lines. The work is underway, and we will definitely complete restoration well before our target of Wednesday morning," Vaishnaw said.

The Railway Minister also refuted West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's allegation that the accident could have been averted with a Kavach (anti-collision) device.

"It has nothing to do with Kavach. The reason is not what Mamata Banerjee said yesterday. She said as per understanding," he added.

Meanwhile, as per the official figures, the accident on Friday night left 288 people dead and over 1,000 injured.

Aditya Kumar Chaudhary, the Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO), South Eastern Railway, said that restoration work is underway at the site.

As per the Ministry of Railways, the restoration work is in full swing, and the officials are closely monitoring the restoration process at the accident site.

A workforce of over 1000 people is engaged in the work. More than seven Poclain machines, two accident relief trains, and 3–4 railway and road cranes are deployed, the ministry stated.

The preliminary report on the tragedy said the three-way accident involved the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Coromandel Express, and a goods train on three separate tracks at Bahanaga Bazar Station in Balasore district.

As many as 17 coaches of these two passenger trains were derailed and severely damaged in the accident on Friday evening.

Railway Minister Vaishnaw has come under fire from Congress, which has demanded his resignation, citing several reports and audits that highlighted the lapses on the part of the railways.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, party leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and several others have hit out at the government and demanded accountability for the train tragedy that took place in Odisha's Balasore on Friday evening.

In one of the horrific tragedies, at least 275 people died and over 800 were injured when 21 coaches of two -- the Coromandel Express and the SMVP-Howrah Superfast Express -- and a goods train collided and derailed on Friday evening near Bahanaga Bazar Railway station in Odisha's Balasore. (Agencies)

Also Read: Odisha Train Crash: Root Cause Has Been Found, Claims Railway Minister

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