Odisha train crash: Railways launches high-level probe, says anti-train collision system wasn’t available on route

The Railways has initiated a high-level inquiry into the train accident in Odisha, which will be headed by the Commissioner of Railway Safety, South-East Circle, officials said on Saturday.

The Commissioner of Railway Safety works under the Ministry of Civil Aviation and investigates all such accidents.

“AM Chaudhary, CRS, SE Circle, will investigate the accident,” said an Indian Railway spokesperson.

The national transporter also said that the anti-collision system “Kavach” is not on the track.

At least 238 people were killed and over 900 injured in Friday’s derailment of Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express and a freight train.

Although the cause of the crash is not clear, sources point to a possible signal failure.

Indian Railways spokesperson Amitabh Sharma said, “Rescue work has been completed. Now, we are starting the rehabilitation work. There is no Kavach on this route.”

Railways is in the process of installing “Kavach”, an anti-collision system across its network.

Kavach warns when the loco pilot oversteps a signal (Signal Sent at Danger — SPAD), which is a major cause of train collisions. The system can alert the loco pilot, control the brakes and automatically stop the train when it observes another train on the same track within a specified distance.

In February, after two freight trains collided head-on in Uttar Pradesh, the railways launched a month-long safety drive to prevent accidents such as train derailment and signal overloading by loco pilots.

Under the drive, senior officers from the Railway Board, zonal railways and divisions were instructed to visit various sections, lobbies of crews, maintenance centres, work sites etc. And carry out a “thorough review of the working practices” to check and enforce safe operational and maintenance practices prescribed to prevent accidents or unusual incidents.