Loco pilot suspended, conflicting versions emerge

Chennai

Loco pilot Mariappan (51), who has six years of experience as the main loco pilot in long distance trains, has been suspended pending investigation. While the Railways entirely blame Mariappan for the Thursday’s accident, doubts have been raised regarding a technical snag in the railway signalling system, as a possible cause of the accident. Some of the officials at the spot pointed out on Friday that there was something  wrong with the signalling system on the EMU track, forcing the EMU driver to slow down at the track intersection and the Express train, which had a clear signal and was supposed to move on to another track at the intersection, did not slow down. The engine driver saw the slow moving EMU on the track and applied the brakes. But as it was shifting to another track, the train brushed against the rear end of the EMU, sources said.

However, the railway safety officials ruled out this angle and said the mistake committed by the loco pilot of Trivandrum-bound Chennai-Trivandrum Express train was the only reason.

“The signal for the EMU track was before the intersection. If that signal was in danger mode, the EMU would have moved. The Express loco pilot failed to read the danger signal on his track and over-rode it by about 330 metres. He had applied emergency brakes realising his mistake but the train overshot the signal and hit the EMU at about 15 kilometres/ per hour speed,” John Thomas, chief safety officer, Southern Railway, told DTNext.

As per the version of Mariappan to the railway authorities, he could not identify the signal colour and he took it for green. He realised the signal was red immediately and applied emergency brakes but it was too late. However, the presence of mind of the loco pilot to apply the emergency brakes reduced the speed of the Express train considerably, averting a major disaster.

Sources said that the interpretation given by the Railways regarding the ver sion of Mariappan sounded implausible. “Mariappan is a loco pilot with considerable experience. How can a loco pilot with such experience mistake a red signal for green? Was he suffering from colour blindness? A detailed investigation is needed as there are contradictory versions regarding the cause of this accident,” another railway employee said.

Railways have completed the track re-laying work and are continuing the repair work. Normal traffic on the affected tracks was restored by late evening on Friday. In the accident, six persons were injured — three received outpatient care and were discharged on Thursday itself. Three injured persons, two of whom have fractures in their limbs, have been admitted in the military hospital at Avadi.