Odisha Train Accident: Rly Board Member Reveals Harrowing Conversations with Loco Pilot & TTE After Crash

Balasore: In the aftermath of the tragic triple train disaster in Odisha, the Railway Board has revealed that a preliminary inquiry suggests a possible signalling fault as the cause. Jaya Varma Sinha, a member of the Railway Board’s operation and business development committee, addressed the media in the nation’s capital, sharing her interactions with the crew of the Coromandel Express and Yeshwanthpur Express trains.

During her conversation with the locomotive driver of the Coromandel Express, Sinha learned that he had received a green signal before the accident occurred. However, his condition deteriorated shortly after the conversation. Meanwhile, the guard of the goods train was outside the train inspecting it at the time of the accident. Sinha emphasized that if the guard had been inside the goods train, he would not have survived.

Sinha also expressed gratitude that the guard’s life was spared due to his dedication to duty. As per railway regulations, it is the responsibility of the guard and driver to ensure the safety of a goods train when it is stationary for some time. In this case, the guard and driver had alighted from the train to conduct their safety checks. Unfortunately, the accident took place while the guard was inspecting the train, resulting in the engine of the oncoming train colliding with the guard’s brake van on the freight train. Sinha attributed the guard’s survival to both his commitment to duty and fortunate circumstances.

Sinha also revealed details from her conversation with the Ticket Examiner (TT) of coach A1 from the Howrah Yesvantpur Express. According to Sinha, the TT recounted hearing a loud and unusual sound from the rear end of the train, indicating a potential obstruction. The area behind the A1 coach consisted of two general coaches and the guard’s cabin. Shockingly, the two coaches detached completely and derailed, while the A1 coach remained unaffected and continued its journey safely.

The devastating triple train tragedy in Balasore, Odisha, resulted in the loss of at least 275 lives and left hundreds injured. This incident, one of the most catastrophic train accidents in Indian history, has ignited discussions about safety measures and the factors contributing to such disasters.

The accident occurred just before Bahanaga Bazar station in the Balasore district, approximately 250 kilometres south of Kolkata and 170 kilometres north of Odisha’s Bhubaneswar. This region falls under the jurisdiction of the South Eastern Railway’s Kharagpur railway division.