Goods Trains Collide in Punjab, Loco Pilots Injured
Goods Trains Collide in Punjab, Loco Pilots Injured
Fatehgarh Sahib, June 2, 2024 – In a chilling coincidence, exactly a year after the devastating Balasore train accident, two goods trains collided near Madhopur in Sirhind, Punjab, injuring two locomotive pilots. The collision occurred around 4 AM on the Ambala-Sirhind railway track, one of the busiest routes in the region.
सुबह सरहिंद में माधोपुर के पास दो मालगाड़ियाँ टकरा गईं..
— Lalita Rawat (@LalitaRawat_07) June 2, 2024
जिससे दो लोको पायलट घायल हो गए।
उन्हें श्री फतेहगढ़ साहिब सिविल अस्पताल में भर्ती कराया गया है।#TrainAccident #trainsCollision pic.twitter.com/t0KWQGQZ5q
The accident involved two freight trains coming from the Ambala side. A stationary freight train was rear-ended by another train, leading to serious injuries for the locomotive pilots. Initially taken to Fatehgarh Sahib Civil Hospital, the pilots were later transferred to Rajindra Hospital due to the severity of their injuries. Station House Officer (SHO) Rattan Lal of the Sirhind railway police station confirmed that the injured pilots were swiftly transported to the hospital for treatment.
Anniversary of the Balasore Tragedy
Today marks the first anniversary of the tragic Balasore train accident in Odisha, which claimed hundreds of lives and injured over 1,000 people. On June 2, 2023, the Howrah-bound Coromandel Express collided with a stationary goods train in the Balasore district. The impact caused several coaches of the Coromandel Express to topple onto the passing Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, resulting in a catastrophic triple-train collision.
Kavach for Railways
The Balasore incident highlighted the need for advanced safety systems like Kavach, a domestically developed train collision avoidance system designed to prevent accidents caused by human errors. Kavach is engineered to halt locomotives approaching within 380 meters of each other. However, the section where the Balasore accident occurred was not equipped with this system, and officials argue that even with Kavach, the collision might not have been averted due to incorrect settings in the Relay Room and the minimal distance for mechanical maneuvering.
Investigation Underway
Authorities have launched an investigation into the Punjab collision to determine whether both trains were mistakenly running on the same track or if another error led to the accident. The investigation aims to uncover the cause and prevent future incidents on this critical railway line.
This latest collision underscores the ongoing challenges in railway safety and the urgent need for robust systems and protocols to prevent such tragedies.
