Railway Circular Puts Focus on Signal Failure Protocols

The South Eastern Railway issued a directive reinforcing proper procedures for addressing signal failures, following the Secunderabad-Shalimar Express derailment at Nalpur. The circular emphasized using failure and disconnection memos, addressing safety norms breaches by railway staff, and initiated a safety drive across zones.

The South Eastern Railway has reinforced the importance of adhering to established protocols for handling signal failures, in light of the recent derailment of the Secunderabad-Shalimar Express at Nalpur, near Howrah. The accident prompted the railway to reiterate the use of proper failure and disconnection memos, which were not followed in this instance.

A circular dated November 11, from the principal chief signal and telecommunication engineer, directed divisional engineers to counsel maintenance staff for compliance. It was discovered during investigations that the Station Master at Nalpur failed to document a signal failure in the record book, violating safety norms, and the Signal and Telecom Department did not issue a disconnection memo either.

The derailment was attributed to a technician inadvertently altering the direction of an interlocking point. In response, the Railway Board mandated a safety drive across zones to secure mechanical components of signaling systems, underscoring the commitment to safety and procedural integrity.

(With inputs from agencies.)