Lucky to survive: Ahmedabad-Puri Express passengers recount horror

Titlagarh: "We had lost hope after we learnt our bogies were moving without train engine. I was not worried about my life, but praying God to save my children," said a woman passenger travelling in one of the 22 bogies that got detached from Ahmedabad-Puri Express' engine near Titlagarh railway station on Saturday night.

Utter panic and confusion had gripped the passengers travelling in the train after the news of bogies running without engine spread like wild fire at around 10:05 pm yesterday.

"I was travelling along with my two children and getting ready to sleep when co- passengers informed that bogies have got detached from the engine. I was completely nervous and kept on praying God to save my family," said the woman passenger while recounting the horror.

Another passenger travelling from Surat said, "It was for the first time that the bogies rolled down for over 15 kms in reverse direction. We tried to pull chain to stop the train, but failed."

Most of the passengers travelling in the train have expressed concern over safety as no railway official responded even though SOS calls were made to the helpline number.

"We do not need bullet trains as the government should focus on the safety of passengers first. The railway authorities should take stringent action against the staff for such lapses," said another passenger.

Earlier, several coaches of the Ahmedabad-Puri (18406) got detached from the engine during an engine change at Titlagarh railway station and continued to roll on without engine up to Kesinga.

The coaches started moving around 10 pm and had covered a distance of over 15 kms without the engine before they were brought to a halt.

Though no passenger was hurt when the engine-less coaches moved towards Kesinga (under Sambalpur railway division), the railway officials claimed that the incident occurred due to non-application of skid-brake on the wheels of the coaches by the staff concerned.

"Seven railway staff including two engine drivers, three carriage repairing staff have been placed under suspension in connection with train rolling down on its own at Titlagarh," said East Coast Railway, General Manager, Umesh Singh.

Meanwhile, to avoid future repetition of similar incidents, Railway Board Chairman has instructed the operating and electrical department of Indian Railways to launch a month long joint drive during which the shunting staff and Shunter/Loco Pilot should be intensively monitored and counselled.

The drive should oversee the drive and after its completion, General Managers will submit a report to the Board about their observations, actions taken and suggestions for improvement.

Meanwhile, in a twitter message by the Chief Minister’s Office, CM Naveen expressed concern on the Ahmedabad-Puri Express incident. Passenger safety is above everything and cannot be compromised, the message added. Besides, he urged the Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal to take remedial action to address the lapses.

https://twitter.com/CMO_Odisha/status/982982745000263680