Balasore Train Accident: Condition of Injured Drivers Improving, Families Seek Privacy

Balasore: Three days after the tragic triple train accident in Balasore, Odisha, it has emerged stating that the drivers and guards of the Coromandel Express and Howrah Yesvantpur Express, which were involved in the crash, survived the incident. However, they sustained severe injuries. Fortunately, the engine driver and guard of the goods train also escaped unharmed.

According to the Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of South Eastern Railway (SER), Aditya Choudhury, the condition of the injured engine driver, Gunanidhi Mohanty, has improved, and he was moved out of the ICU on Monday. However, his assistant, Hajari Behera, is awaiting a head surgery. Both drivers are currently receiving treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, and their condition is said to be stable.

The families of both drivers have requested privacy during this time to allow them to recover physically and mentally. They assert that the drivers should not be held responsible for the accident as they followed all operational rules while operating the locomotive.

The Railway Board has conducted an initial investigation and has attributed the accident to a signal malfunction, effectively absolving the loco pilot of the Coromandel Express from blame. The findings indicate that the train was not travelling at an excessive speed and had received a green signal to enter a loop line where a goods train was stationary.

According to the driver of the Coromandel Express, he followed the path indicated by the green signal he observed. During a press briefing, Railway Board member Jaya Varma Sinha confirmed that the Coromandel Express suffered the most severe damage in the accident and mentioned that they had spoken to the driver, who was in a conscious state and affirmed receiving a green signal.

Conversely, the driver of the Howrah Yesvantpur Express reported hearing an unusual sound prior to the accident. Sinha also mentioned speaking with the TT of coach A1 of the Howrah Yesvantpur Express, who stated that he heard a loud abnormal noise from the rear and sensed some sort of obstruction.

The collision occurred when the Coromandel Express derailed after mistakenly entering a loop track beside the main line and colliding with the stationary goods train. Subsequently, the derailed carriages struck the rear two carriages of the Howrah Superfast Express, which was travelling in the opposite direction, causing it to derail as well.

The injured crew members are currently receiving medical care, and the railway authorities are conducting a thorough investigation to determine the precise cause of the signal malfunction.

Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw revealed that a modification in the track’s configuration resulted in the Coromandel Express colliding with the goods train from behind, triggering the three-way train accident in Odisha. The tragic incident has claimed the lives of 275 individuals, with over 1,100 sustaining injuries.

You might also like

Comments are closed.