Major tragedy averted after local trains collide at Panskura station

Kolkata: A major accident was averted on Sunday when two local trains came onto the same track one after the other and a collision took place. The incident happened at Panskura station on the Howrah-Kharagpur line of South Eastern Railways in East Midnapore district on Sunday.

The Railways authorities have ordered a high-level enquiry into the incident and also show-caused the motor man of the train that had hit another from behind.

Around 10 persons were injured in the incident and they were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. South Eastern Railway authorities said that no one sustained any injuries as both the trains were at a very low speed. According to a Railway official Howrah-bound Midnapore Howrah Local was about to leave Panskura station when another train Balichak Local knocked it from behind. Passengers travelling in both the trains felt a jolt and a loud thud. Some of them panicked.

Both the trains were immediately stopped. The locals rushed to the spot after hearing a loud noise and rushed the injured passengers to a nearby hospital. Railway officials claimed that it was not a major collision as both trains were at low speed.

The Balichak Local was shown red signal before entering into Panskura station as the other train was about the leave it. It was an automated signaling system. Sanjoy Ghosh, Chief Public Relations Officer of South Eastern Railway said the real cause of the incident is yet to be ascertained.

It needs to be seen why the driver moved the train when the signal was red. A probe has been ordered and the motor man of Balichak Local has been show-caused. He said in the automatic signalling system, the trains heading towards the same direction, are allowed to come on the same track while maintaining a specific distance.

In the automated signaling system, the trains can come on the same track, but they should not come so close to each other. Whether it was a signalling fault or a human error, is a matter of inquiry, Ghosh clarified.

He also said that there was no disruption in train services after the accident. Though the down line was unusable for some time after the accident, train services were not disrupted as there are three channels in the station. The other two channels were used for passing the trains, Ghosh maintained.