From signal failure to sabotage to CBI probe to judicial inquiry, where’s the Balasore train disaster headed?

By adding more trains on the same infrastructure, Indian Railways has surrendered the little safety margin it had in maintenance. (File image)

Today is the fifth day of the Odisha train tragedy. The post-accident story has unfolded fast. Extraordinary  camaraderie and cooperation  of union government, state government and common man has ensured resumption of train operation at the site within 52 hours.

The action has now shifted. One, to the crucial task of saving over 250 injured passengers undergoing treatment in hospitals in Odisha, more specifically at the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack where over 200 injured are admitted.

Two, to the impossible task of preventing bodies from decay and decomposition at morgues (permanent and makeshift). Attempts to claim ownership of unidentified deceased is on, because of the higher ex gratia to the dead. Even bodies that are identified must wait for the complex medico-legal process to be completed.

Inquiries, Politics, Root Causes

Three, at Delhi, where a political slugfest has begun even before the mandatory submission of the Chief Commissioner Railway Safety’s (CCRS) statutory inquiry report and the police inquiry report by the Government Rail Police (GRP) Odisha.

Like what happens in the aftermath of a  major railway accident, the opposition parties want the head of the Union railways minister, as if it is a panacea that will prevent future mishaps. As regards the railway minister, he  has overnight stumbled upon the root cause of the accident  (“change of electronic interlocking and points”) and persons responsible for having caused it.

With the minister having publicised the “cause” of the accident, the Railway Board has, unsurprisingly, recommended an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to nab the culprits.

When will the focus shift to “root causes” of railway accidents like problems with track, bridges, signalling and rolling stock? But the story’s not over yet.

A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court of India seeking a direction to the central government for setting up an inquiry commission to probe the cause of the train accident.

The PIL seeks an expert inquiry commission headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Court and consisting of technical members to analyse and review the risk and safety parameters in the railway system and to suggest systematic safety modifications for strengthening railway safety mechanisms.

Appalling Track Record

Notwithstanding the bold statement of the railway minister, two days is too short a time frame for the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) to conduct an inquiry and submit the report (preliminary and final) through the Chief CRS (CCRS) to the Railway Board. Further, going by the past track record, instead of months, years pass without an Action Taken Report (ATR) on the CRS Inquiry Report. And hardly any meaningful action is taken. Thereafter, it is business as usual till the next accident happens.

Moreover, the Railways ministry has already ruled out any fault of the loco pilot of Coromandel Express and failure of signals. It suspects or rather seems to be certain of “sabotage” and has recommended investigation by CBI. The recommendation has been accepted by the CBI and the probe has started.

A question arises as to why a CBI inquiry without waiting for the CRS report? Possibly, the government might have reasons which a layman like me does not know.

A CBI inquiry may be good to deflect initial pressure. Also, CBI is the apex crime investigation body and definitely has a better track record than state police forces but if the experience of the CBI investigation of the 2010 Gyaneshwari Express accident is anything to go by, a CBI probe may not yield the best result. Relatives of many missing victims of the Gyaneshwari Express are yet to get compensation nor have the guilty been punished.

What Next?

A judicial commission under the Commission of Enquiry Act, headed by a retired Supreme Court Justice, with clear terms of reference and fixed time-frame would have been preferable, given the gravity of the disaster.

But the rational  me would vote for Indian Railways to distil the pearls of wisdom lying in reports of various safety committees like the Kunzru Committee (1962), Wanchoo Committee (1968), Sikri Committee (1978), Khanna Committee (1998) and more recently the Dr Anil Kakodkar Committee (2012), and implement them within a fixed timeframe.

My final take: Pause before accelerating. If need be, sacrifice speed and punctuality and first fix line capacity, track, rolling stock, signalling and communication. A clear message – Safety First – has to go down the ranks. By adding more trains on the same infrastructure year after year, Indian Railways has surrendered the little safety margin it had in maintenance.

Akhileshwar Sahay is President (Advisory Services), BARSYL. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication.