Services resume at Balasore crash site

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 5

Three days after the triple-train crash in Odisha’s Balasore, passenger trains resumed operations on the repaired tracks on Monday after restoration works were undertaken on a war footing.

The first to chug out of Balasore was a goods train, seen off by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday night. The train carrying coal, headed towards Rourkela Steel Plant from Vizag port, ran on the same track where the Bengaluru-Howrah train met with an accident. The Howrah-Puri Vande Bharat Express was the first passenger train to cross the Bahanaga Bazar station around 9.30 am on Monday. The tracks were now fit to operate trains in both the up and down lines, the Ministry of Railways said, adding over 1,000 workers were engaged in repairing the damaged tracks.

Safety audit ordered

• Railway Board ordered safety audit across 19 zones for ‘super check’ of signalling systems
• Board asked zones to record all deficiencies and irregularities and submit report by June 14

Vaishnaw said, “Our objective is to ensure the families of all missing persons find them as soon as possible. Our responsibility is not over yet.”

The Railway Board today ordered safety audit across 19 zones focusing on “super check” of signalling systems. In a letter, Tej Prakash Agrawal, Executive Director, Safety, asked the zones to record all deficiencies and irregularities and submit report by June 14.

All relay rooms in stations should be checked and proper working of double locking arrangement be ensured. “It should also be checked and ensured that there is data-logging and SMS alerts for opening and closing of the doors of the relay rooms,” read the letter. Relay rooms are rooms in which all signalling cables from tracks terminate and connect to the assistant station master panel to give a clear picture of the track availability.

CBI set to take over probe

The CBI is all set to take over the probe into the Odisha triple-train accident. Officials said the CBI would re-register an FIR as its own case by taking over the Balasore GRP case registered by the Odisha Police on June 3. The agency is likely to allot the case to Special Crime Unit at the Delhi headquarters

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