Track maintenance failure behind Utkal Express derailment, claims top railways source

Picture Courtesy: PTI

New Delhi: A day after 23 people were killed after 14 coaches of Puri-Haridwar Utkal Express went off the track, it has been reported that the mishap took place due to the negligence of railways staff, as the driver of the train was unaware of the maintenance being carried out at the spot where tragic incident took place. 

A top railways source informed leading daily Times of India that the train derailed because of 'maintenance failure'. Talking to the daily, the official claimed that at the time of the accident, the maintenance work was on but the railways' staff did not pay any heed to put speed restrictions or warning signal. 

"The train was running at a speed of 106 kmph while the speed limit during track maintenance must be around 10-15kmph and train drivers must be warned about the work through signalling or proper warnings," the official told TOI. 

However, another official dismissed his statement and said that if the track tampered, the five coaches of Utkal Express could not pass the spot safely at 106kmph speed. 

Following the heart-wrenching incident, Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu yesterday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 3.5 lakh for the kin of those who have been killed, Rs. 50 thousand for those who are seriously injured and Rs. 25 thousand for people with minor injured passengers of Utkal Express.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday announced compensation of Rs five lakh to the next kin of Odia passengers who lost their lives in the Puri- Haridwar Utkal Express derailment tragedy.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed Principal Secretary, Home, Arvind Kumar and the Muzaffarnagar District Magistrate to ensure prompt rescue and relief operations at Khatauli. He also deputed two ministers - Satish Mahana and Suresh Rana - to rush to the accident site to oversee the rescue and relief operations.

He also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the dead, Rs 50,000 to this injured.

PM Modi and President Kovind condoled the loss of lives in the accident and expressed sympathies for the families. 

“Sad at train derailment in UP; my thoughts are with deceased & their families. Injured are being rescued & provided relief #PresidentKovind,” Kovind posted soon after the train derailed near Khataulli station. 

Taking to Twitter, PM Modi also expressed grief and posted,“Extremely pained by the derailment of the Utkal Express in Muzaffarnagar. My thoughts are with the families of the deceased."

The accident occurred around 5.45 PM when 14 coaches of the Utkal Express bound for Haridwar derailed in Khatauli in Meerut-Saharanpur Division. The impact of the accident was so severe that one of the coaches could be seen mounted on another while another coach had crashed into the Chowdhary Tilakram Inter College along the tracks.