Three Section Engineers and one Assistant Engineer have been found responsible for the lapses that led to the derailment of the Thiruvananthapuram-Mangaluru Express at Karukutty near Angamaly station here on August 28.
A senior administrative grade committee, which probed the accident, has confirmed that rail fracture was the cause of the derailment. While the section engineers have been found ‘responsible’, the Assistant Engineer is being held ‘blame-worthy’ for the accident. The officials found responsible include the senior section engineer, whose suspension was revoked after the completion of the preliminary probe.
“I have accepted the report and disciplinary action would follow,” Vashishta Johri, General Manager, Southern Railway, Chennai, told The Hindu over telephone on Sunday.
The probe panel found that the officials could have taken steps to ensure safety and maintenance. It said that these engineers should have been on alert to avert such types of accidents.
Asked about the reported accident-prone spots along the Ernakulam-Shoranur stretch, Mr. Johri said Railways had already completed steps to fix the problems. “We have already taken care of all those spots over the last 15-20 days. The speed restrictions have been removed and now trains mostly run on schedule,” he said.
Suggestions
The panel report has thrown light on the actions taken after the accident and evaluated the lapses that led to the accident. It has also come up with suggestions on how to plug shortcomings and to improve the efficiency of the services being offered by Railways. The authorities have been asked to ensure stringent implementation of the various directives issued by the Railway Board on safety, maintenance and regular inspections issued early this year.
