Bagmati Express derailed even before collision, finds Railways' internal probe

CHENNAI: The internal inquiry by Railway authorities here has revealed that Bagmati Express, which collided with a goods train at Kavarapettai near here on October 12, had derailed even before it collided with the other train that was stationed on the loop line.

Highly placed Railway sources told DT Next that the express train had derailed at the phasing point (the point from where a train could go straight or be steered into another line). This reduced its velocity and thus resulted in minimal damage in the collision.

Immediately after the locomotive turned into the loop line, the trailing coaches derailed at the phasing point. Due to the derailment, the Mysuru–Darbhanga Express was travelling only at 39 km per hour, much slower than the 75 km per hour that the first statement that the Railways had issued after the accident cited, sources privy to the inquiry said.

Sources added that a few bolts connecting the stretcher bar to the tongue rail at the phasing point in Kavarapettai were found to be missing during post-accident inspection. This could have contributed to the derailment, they said.

"It was because of the missing bolts that the stretcher bar might have guided the train into the loop line even though the signal sanctioned, and displayed on the pole and station panel was for normal point indication relay (NWKR), which allows the train to continue on the main line. But the big question remains: How did the tongue rail attached to the stretcher bar act normally seven minutes before the accident when another train crossed the same phasing point," said a senior Railway official, unwilling to be quoted.

Admitting that similar removal or absence of bolts was noticed at Ponneri railway station 10 days before the Kavarapettai accident, Railway officials said, "If it were a case of sabotage as was claimed by some, only a person with a deep understanding of the system can do it. Removing bolts is one thing, but removing bolts at the phasing point to disrupt the points and misguide the train to the wrong line requires a thorough understanding of the railway point and signalling system.

“It could be someone within Railways or someone who had worked in Railways could have assisted the alleged removal of bolts connecting the stretcher bar to the tongue tail at the intersection point. Even then, the question remains how the stretcher bar and tongue rail be perfectly aligned for the train that crossed seven minutes before Bagmati Express. No way can someone remove the bolts within seven minutes at the phasing point on an open line. The issue requires some serious investigation, not a mere conclusion based on probabilities," said a highly placed Railway official.