‘Datalogger’ May Have Answer To Reason Behind Odisha Triple Train Tragedy

Bhubaneswar: In a significant shift, AK Mahanta, senior section engineer of signals and communications (Balasore), who had earlier agreed with the others that the Odisha triple train mishap took place because of the misleading signal, has now given a note of dissent. Referring to a ‘datalogger,’ he claimed that the signal was green for Coromandel Express to take the main line and not the loop line.

A datalogger is a microprocessor-based system that monitors the railway signalling system. It scans, stores and processes data and can be used to generate reports.

He was among the signatories to the ‘joint inspection report on the mishap. The inspection report blamed signal failure for the crash.

Railway ministry officials said the final assessment will have to wait until the inquiry by the commissioner of rail safety is over.

In a single-page note, Mahanta disputed the stand of the other four members of the panel that the accident happened because the driver of Coromandel Express was signalled to take the loop line where it ran into a stationary goods train.

“Point No. 17A was found set for Up Loop Line (in reverse condition) of Bahanaga Bazar station,” the joint inspection report said. Setting point in reverse condition means an approaching train is allowed to enter the loop line whereas setting point in normal condition signals the train to take the main line. In this case, point No. 17A is where Coromandel Express entered the loop line. I did not agree with (the part of the report) which mentions that point No. 17A was found set for Up Loop line. Based on the observation from the datalogger report, point 17 was set for the normal side. It may be reverse (sic) after the derailment,” Mahanta said in his note.

According to Railway officials, the accident occurred because of “deliberate interference with the electronic interlocking system”. Rinkesh Roy, divisional railway manager, Khurda, was quoted as saying by Times of India, “You get green signal only after fulfilling all the preconditions such as whether the route is set and everything is right. Even if there is a minor problem, technically, there cannot be a green signal in any circumstance; it becomes red. It can’t go green unless and until someone has tampered with it, someone has physically tempered with it. The loco pilot and the assistant pilot (of Coromandel Express) have said that the signal was green. Even the data logger, which records every event, shows the signal was green.”

Mahanta also claimed that the point of derailment (of Coromandel Express) was before the level crossing gate “that is before point No. 17A” – a claim that provoked a strong response from railway officials who said there was no evidence to suggest that the ill-fated train had got off the track before hitting the goods.