Odisha Train Tragedy: Railways Orders Nationwide Safety Drive On Signalling Systems, Says Report

The relay rooms and locations where the signaling equipment can be managed use a dual locking system that requires both the station master and the signaling staff to unlock it.

The Railway department has issued a safety directive at a national level, with a focus on the current "double locking" system of its signalling apparatus at  stations. ( Image Source :PTI )

The Railways has initiated a week-long nationwide safety campaign focusing on the signaling systems, especially the "double locking" feature, following the transfer of the investigation of the Odisha train accident to the Central Bureau of Investigation within a day, Indian Express reported.

The relay rooms and locations where the signaling equipment can be managed use a dual locking system that requires both the station master and the signaling staff to unlock it.

The purpose of this practice is to maintain safety and security by implementing checks and balances when handling important signaling devices at critical locations.

“All goomties (cabins) housing signalling equipment with station limits should be checked and ensured being provided double locking arrangements,” the directive from the ministry was quoted by Indian Express in its report.

According to the statement, it is essential to inspect and confirm the correct functioning of double lock systems in all station relay rooms. As part of the initiative, employees must guarantee that data logging occurs and SMS alerts are generated when relay room doors are opened or closed.

The current dual lock mechanism guarantees that a message via text is sent to assigned personnel whenever the relay room's lock, where signalling occurs, is either opened or closed.

The staff was advised in the letter to follow the established norms and procedures when it comes to disconnecting and reconnecting signalling equipment.

Although the notion of prioritizing safety measures is not novel, the particular emphasis placed on such precautions on Monday is undeniably linked to the tragic train crash that resulted in the death of at least 275 commuters last Friday. The Railway authorities have stated with certainty that there may have been a malfunction in the signalling system which led to the occurrence of the accident.

Earlier, following a head-on collision of two goods trains at Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesha, safety campaign was launched by Indian Railways in February after a preliminary report implicated a German-made defective braking system as the possible cause behind the train collision, Transcontinental reported.

The railway divisions were directed to supervise the braking methods of locomotive drivers and make certain that trains equipped with bogie-mounted brake system (BMBS) adhere to the stipulated speed limit.