Another railway official wondered whether the loco pilot of the freight train was aware of the speed restrictions due to a failure of the automatic signalling system. The paper line clear ticket (PLCT) issued to him did not mention the restriction.
A day after the tragedy, it appears an attempt to piece together how the accident occurred rests with four persons: the co-pilot of the freight locomotive; the stationmaster of Rangapani, who had issued the PLCT to the loco pilots of Kanchanjungha Express and the freight train; and the railway employees manning the two level crossings between Rangapani and the accident site. The Commission of Railway Safety (CSR) is preparing to question the four.
Sources indicated co-pilot Manu Kumar holds the key as to why the train breached its speed limit. Manu, who survived the accident in which pilot Anil Kumar was killed, is in a nursing home in Siliguri with blunt trauma injuries.
Elaborating on Railway Board chairman & CEO Jaya Varma Sinha’s statement on Monday – that the freight train’s loco pilot had disregarded signals – railway officials said the PLCT was issued to pass defective automated signals. This form, issued at Rangapani station to the loco pilot of the freight train at 8.35am, required the pilot to proceed the next 14km – till Chattar Hat station – with “great caution” until the next stop signal: the prescribed speed is a maximum of 15kmph in good visibility and 10kmph in bad.
A railway official said: “While the loco pilot of Kanchanjungha Express appeared to be following curbs, the freight train loco pilot appears to have thrown caution to the wind.” “It is extremely unlikely that the freight train could have caught up with Kanchanjungha had it travelled at 15kmph. It seemed the loco pilot was unaware of rules,” he said.
The procedures that loco pilots are required to follow when operating form (T/A 912) is issued is mentioned in amendment slip 49 in Indian Railways‘ General & Subsidiary Rules Book, 2004 edition, of NF Railway dated Nov 10, 2023. Ex-officials said prior to amendment, the requirement was different. “We are told that the crew of the freight train overshot signal and dashed with Kanchanjungha Express. But note T/A 912 suggests that the station master of Rangapani issued the note allowing freight train’s driver to pass all mentioned signals. How did the station master issue the note without getting clearance from station master of Chattar Hat?” an ex-railway official said.
He also said if the amendment had been brought in seven months ago, it was quite possible that all loco pilots had not been trained to follow the new guidelines.
An FIR was lodged with GRP against negligent conduct of the pilot and loco pilot of goods train. Later, Majumdar’s father, Chinmoy, said she hadn’t lodged any plaint. “She was travelling on the ill-fated train, she herself was injured and treated in hospital. How will she know sitting inside what caused the accident, and who are responsible? How will she know that the driver is responsible? She was made to sign a blank paper by RPF and cops,” Chinmoy said.
