Goods train derails near Odisha’s Titilagarh, disrupting services

Three wagons of goods train travelling from Titilagarh to Raipur derailed on Friday, causing disruptions in railway operations. One wagon partially climbed onto the edge of the rail track, while two others came off the tracks entirely.

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Fortunately, no loss of life has been reported in the incident.

Railway officials, including a technician from the Department, were currently investigating the cause of the incident, which has affected services in the region.

Recent transportation accidents in Odisha

Odisha witnessed cases of derailments, while rail safety concerns resurfaced after a freight train derailment disrupted traffic in Rourkela. These incidents occurred against the backdrop of the catastrophic June 2023 Balasore triple train collision that killed 296 people, India's deadliest rail disaster this century caused by signaling system failures.

Systemic safety challenges

Railway safety audits reveal persistent infrastructure gaps despite modernisation efforts. A December 2022 CAG report highlighted chronic understaffing (69% of accidents from derailments), fund misallocation, and aging signaling systems.

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The 2023 Balasore crash exposed vulnerabilities when the Coromandel Express entered a loop line at 128 km/h due to electronic interlocking failures. While Rs 30 billion was allocated for the track upgrades, key routes like Bahanaga Bazaar still lacked Kavach anti-collision systems when disaster struck.

Reported By: Abinash Nanda