Bhubaneswar: The East Coast Railways on Sunday suspended seven of its employee after the 22 coaches of Ahmadabad Puri express went rolling on track without its engine with being exposed to a massive danger. However in the end it was all solace for the nearly 1500 lives on board.
The incident took place at about 10 minutes past 10 on the Saturday evening during the engine reversal exercise with the Puri bound Ahmadabad- Puri Express in Titlagarh Railway Station.
Some trains are made to change their power head at Titlagarh to comply with their route as it was with the Ahemada- Puri express. The process technically is called Loco- reversal.
The Train arrived at Titilagarh at 9.35 PM where the engine was detached to be reattached to other end for traveling towards Puri via Sambalpur when the coaches started rolling backward in the direction of Kesinga. The skid brakes those hpld the coaches in place either were not applied or were not applied properly.
As per an Eco R Spokesperson, “When the engine is detached from one end of the train to be reattached to the other, the coaches should be secured with the help of skid brakes at the wheels. In this case, it appears that these had not been placed properly. The facts will be known after a detailed enquiry.”
The coaches rolled nearly 15 KM on the track without the engine before it stopped near a level crossing after Kesinga to end an hour long ordeal for the passengers on board.
Later engines from Titlagarh reached the spot and pulled back the coaches and were attached with the main engine there and resumed its journey.
ECoR General Manager Umesh Singh said.“Strictest action would be initiated against the persons for any negligent act endangering safety of trains. Safety is non-negotiable and cannot be compromised with. Any Railway employee found guilty will be taken up severely,”
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