Kolkata: The Kanchanjunga Express was travelling from Agartala in Tripura to Sealdah in Kolkata when a goods train hit it from behind near Rangapani station, close to New Jalpaiguri Monday morning, resulting in the deaths of nine people and injuries to 41. Preliminary findings point to a combination of human error and signal failure as contributing factors.
The Railway Board’s initial report on Monday revealed that the goods train, operating under a defective automatic signalling system, was travelling above speed limits when it crashed into the Kanchanjunga Express. The railways have not commented on this issue.
When the automated system fails, railway protocol mandates a written authority known as TA 912. This document authorises train drivers to pass all red signals due to the signalling defect, provided they adhere to stringent safety measures. Both the Kanchanjunga Express and the goods train had been issued TA 912
According to railway procedures, under TA 912, drivers must stop for one minute at each defective signal and proceed at a maximum speed of 10 kmph. Additionally, they must maintain a 150-metre gap from the preceding train to ensure adequate stopping distance if the previous train has not cleared the signal. However, in this incident, the goods train driver violated these critical conditions.
The Kanchanjunga Express had cleared nine automatic signals with TA 912 and had stopped after crossing the nine signals awaiting fresh clearance to proceed further.
The Railway Board said that the driver of the goods train had been authorised to cross all red signals between Rangapani and Chattarhat railway stations due to the defective automatic signalling system. However, the train’s speed exceeded the permissible limit set for such situations. The goods train driver was given a TA 912, by the station master of Rangapani, permitting the train to pass nine red signals. This authorisation was crucial because the automatic signalling system had been malfunctioning since 5:50 am on the day of the accident.
The goods train, GFCJ, departed from Rangapani at 8:42 am and collided with the stationary Kanchanjunga Express at 8:55 am. The impact resulted in the derailment of the guard’s coach, two parcel coaches, and a general seating coach of the passenger train. The driver of the goods train, who was among the dead, was found to have not followed the mandatory speed restrictions, leading to the crash.
The driver of the Kanchanjunga Express adhered to the safety norms required during a signalling defect. He stopped at all red signals for one minute and proceeded at a speed of 10 kmph. In contrast, the goods train’s driver proceeded at higher than permissible limits and rammed the passenger train.
Despite these regulations, the goods train exceeded the permissible speed, leading to the catastrophic collision. The exact speed at which the goods train was travelling has not been disclosed by the Railway Board.
Rescue operations concluded by late afternoon, but efforts to clear the derailed coaches and restore rail services continued. The North Bengal Medical College and Hospital treated several injured passengers, with 41 remaining hospitalized, including nine in critical condition.
