An investigation into the Odisha train tragedy has identified "wrong signalling" as the primary cause of the Balasore accident and highlighted multiple failures within the signalling and telecommunication (S&T) department. However, the inquiry findings submitted by a high-level investigation team indicated that the tragedy could have been prevented had the previous warning signs been highlighted, reported news agency PTI.
The Commission of Railway Safety (CRS), an independent body, submitted the inquiry report to the Railway Board. The report acknowledged the signalling deficiencies but emphasized that the S&T staff could have taken corrective measures had they been informed about the recurring red flags regarding the switches connecting the parallel tracks by the station manager of Bahanaga Bazar, where the accident occurred.
Furthermore, the report pointed out that the absence of the approved circuit diagram for replacing the electric lifting barrier at level crossing gate 94 at Bahanaga Bazar station led to incorrect wiring. It revealed that a team of field supervisors had deviated from the wiring diagram and failed to replicate it accurately.
The report also mentioned a similar incident on May 16, 2022, at Bankra Nayabaz station in the Khargpur division of South Eastern Railway, was caused by incorrect wiring and cable faults. It stated that if corrective measures had been implemented after that incident to address the issue of incorrect wiring, the accident at BNBR could have been avoided.
The tragic event on June 2 claimed the lives of 292 individuals, with more than 1,000 sustaining injuries.
In addition to identifying the signalling-circuit-alteration failures during the past and current execution of the electric lifting barrier replacement work as the cause of the rear collision, the CRS report emphasized the need for a faster initial response to such disasters. It advised the Railways to review the disaster response system in the zonal railways and improve coordination with disaster response forces like NDRF and SDRF, the PTI report stated.
The report recommended a comprehensive effort to upgrade the signalling wiring diagrams, documents, and circuit labelling at the site. It emphasized the importance of adhering to standard practices for signalling modification work, including the use of approved circuit diagrams, and the presence of an officer during alterations. Furthermore, it proposed the deployment of a dedicated team to check and test modified signalling circuits and functions before restoring and reconnecting the system.