Signal Failures Uncovered: The Secunderabad-Shalimar Train Derailment Mystery

A preliminary investigation into the Secunderabad-Shalimar train derailment at Nalpur station revealed signal malfunctions as the cause. The probe highlighted the station master's failure to report the incident correctly, an issue occurring in the same Kharagpur Division as the previous Balasore crash.

An initial investigation into the Secunderabad-Shalimar Express train derailment at Nalpur station in West Bengal attributes the incident to signal malfunctions, as revealed by railway sources on Monday.

The inquiry, carried out by a team of five railway officials, uncovered a major oversight: the station master failed to document the failure of signal number 10 or notify the Signal and Telecom Department, according to sources.

Railway signal staff are raising alarms due to the irregularity's occurrence in the Kharagpur Division, the same area where the Balasore triple train crash claimed approximately 300 lives on June 2, 2023.

Government officials have refrained from commenting on the investigation's results. "We cannot provide details until the official inquiry concludes," a South Eastern Railway spokesperson stated. The derailment, which took place on November 9, saw three coaches of the Secunderabad-Shalimar Superfast Express come off the tracks near Howrah, West Bengal, without causing casualties due to restricted speeds of about 30 kmph.

Sources reported that the derailment occurred when the train attempted to cross a malfunctioning interlocking point, redirecting coaches to a middle line while the engine stayed on the main line. Coaches 1, 5, and 6 derailed at approximately 5:35 AM.

Though unrelated to signal number 10, the incident highlighted the signal failure irregularity, sources recount.

The Signal & Telecom Maintainers Union stressed protocol requirements for station masters to issue a failure memo and log such failures, which did not transpire.

A union member clarified, "The S&T Department should have issued a disconnection memo to halt operations over the affected signal until resolved. This protocol was likewise neglected."

Alok Chandra Prakash, General Secretary of the Indian Railway S&T Maintainers Union, commented on procedural lapses: "Failure to adhere to protocols led to this event. Occurrences in this rail division suggest a problematic work culture, warranting Board intervention for thorough investigation."

(With inputs from agencies.)