A day after the Mysuru-Darbhanga Express collided with a stationary freight train near Chennai, experts and union leaders are raising concerns about potential signalling system failures. According to a data-logger video that has been circulating among senior railway officials, the passenger train (Train No. 12578) was given a green signal to pass through the main line, but it mistakenly entered a loop line already occupied by a goods train. The accident, which occurred at Kavaraippettai railway station around 8:30 pm on Friday, left nine passengers injured, reports PTI.
The data logger, a device installed at stations to monitor train movements and signal aspects, recorded the incident, revealing discrepancies in the train’s route. This has prompted comparisons to the tragic Balasore train collision on June 2, 2023, where a similar signalling error led to a major crash.
In a statement released late Friday, the Railway Board acknowledged that the Mysuru-Darbhanga Express had been cleared for the main line but veered into the loop line, leading to the collision. A high-level inquiry has been ordered to investigate the cause of the crash.
Safety experts, such as R Kumaresan, president of the All India Loco Running Staff Association (AILRSA), Southern Railway, have expressed concerns over recurring anomalies in the signalling system. “This collision mirrors the Balasore incident, and the railways must take urgent steps to rectify these issues,” he said.
In the automatic-signalling system, signals are supposed to align with track interlocking to ensure trains follow the correct route. However, safety experts suggest a possible malfunction in the coordination between signal aspect and interlocking at Kavaraippettai station, causing the train to deviate from the main line.
Sanjay Pandhi, working president of the Indian Railway Loco Runningmen’s Organisation (IRLRO), noted that previous trains had passed through the station without any abnormalities in the signalling system. He suggested that a malfunction, possibly due to equipment corrosion, might have caused the signal failure.
KP Arya, a retired chief signal and telecom engineer, speculated that a derailment at the interlocking point could have caused part of the train to enter the loop line, leading to the collision.
The investigation into the collision is ongoing, with experts stressing that a clear understanding of the cause will emerge after a thorough inquiry.