Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express Derailment Blamed On Poor Track Maintenance: Probe Report

A team investigating the deadly derailment of the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express in Uttar Pradesh has attributed the accident to poor track maintenance, according to a report by railway officials.

Four people were killed and several others injured when eight coaches of the train derailed on July 18 between Motiganj and Jhilahi stations near Gonda.

The six-member probe team's report, written in Hindi, stated that a “immediate removal defect” (IMR) was detected on the track by the senior section engineer at the Lucknow division about an hour before the incident.

The report highlighted that the rail track's fastening was inadequate, causing it to malfunction. The senior section engineer informed a junior engineer (JE) by phone about the track's potential weakness before the derailment.

Investigators also noted that after identifying the track fault, proper safety measures were not implemented. No site protection was established, no caution signs were put up, and the Dibrugarh Express was allowed to pass through the area at high speed.

The absence of a cautionary signal board resulted in the train traveling at 80 kilometers per hour instead of the mandated 30 kmph, leading to the accident.

The six officers from the North Eastern Railway (NER) zone, who conducted the investigation, based their conclusions on statements from various personnel, including the train driver, manager, and station master, as well as a technical inspection of the derailment site.

However, the North Eastern Railway's Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) warned against drawing definitive conclusions based solely on the joint probe report.

"An investigation by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) is already underway, with the first hearing held on Friday. This investigation will delve into every aspect of the accident, including technical specifications and minute details. The joint probe report doesn't encompass many crucial factors, so it's premature to make a final call," the CPRO said.