SER train enters wrong rail track without platform, passengers stage protest

Kolkata: Several passengers of the Down Panskura local put up a blockade at Dasnagar railway station of South Eastern Railway (SER) after the train entered a wrong rail track having no platform. A major accident was averted when several passengers tried to jump off from the train and an Express train entered the Down track at that moment.

According to the passengers, the Down Panskura local entered Dasnagar station through the third track between Up and Down track, which has no platforms.

The passengers got stuck and could not deboard due to not having a platform. Meanwhile, some passengers jumped off from the train and sustained minor injuries.

The situation turned worse when an announcement of Jagannath Express entering the Down track adjacent to the middle line was made. Seeing the express train, several passengers, who already deboarded the Panskura local and were trying to climb up to the platform, had to back off. Some even fell on the ground and sustained minor injuries while trying to save themselves from the speeding Jagannath Express.

Immediately, passengers and daily commuters got agitated and put up a blockade protesting against the negligence.

Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel tried to remove the blockade but failed as passengers

were furious.

Later, SER officials went to Dasnagar and assured the passengers that adequate action would be taken and the blockade was withdrawn around 11 am. Around 18 local trains and three Mail/Express trains had to be halted at various stations due to the blockade.

According to sources, there is no station master at Dasnagar station. Train movements are controlled by the station master of Santragachhi. On Thursday, he thought that the Panskura local is a galloping train and thus put the train on the third track.

Although the station master put the train on the wrong track by mistake, questions arose on why the loco pilot and the guard did not inform him about the train entering a wrong track as they knew that the train was supposed to stop at all stations enroute.

Senior officials of SER claimed that the guard and the loco pilot cannot avoid their liability as it is a major security breach. SER authority has stated that an inquiry will be led into the station master's action. Also, names of the loco pilot and the guard will be added in

the investigation.