LUCKNOW: After a Balasore-like tragedy was averted this year due to an alert locomotive pilot on the Bangalore-New Delhi Sampark Kranti Express at Hosadurga Road station, Mysore division, the then principal chief operation manager (PCOM) of South Western Railway had warned Indian Railways against the alleged bypassing of the electronic interlocking system.
In his report after the February 8 incident, then PCOM Hari Shankar Verma wrote: “The Hosadurga station incident indicates that there are serious flaws in the system and contravenes the essence and basic principles of interlocking. The electronic signal maintainer (SEM) attempted to rectify the signal error after bypassing rules and procedures. ”
In his report, Verma mentioned that the electronic signal maintainer allegedly bypassed the electronic interlocking system, which could have led to the collision of the Sampark Kranti Express with a goods train (similar to the Odisha accident) on February 8, 2023. “Ifthe signal maintenance system is not monitored and corrected immediately, then it would lead to a catastrophic accident,” he had warned.
In his report after the February 8 incident, then PCOM Hari Shankar Verma wrote: “The Hosadurga station incident indicates that there are serious flaws in the system and contravenes the essence and basic principles of interlocking. The electronic signal maintainer (SEM) attempted to rectify the signal error after bypassing rules and procedures. ”
In his report, Verma mentioned that the electronic signal maintainer allegedly bypassed the electronic interlocking system, which could have led to the collision of the Sampark Kranti Express with a goods train (similar to the Odisha accident) on February 8, 2023. “Ifthe signal maintenance system is not monitored and corrected immediately, then it would lead to a catastrophic accident,” he had warned.
According to official sources, almost every zone reports incidents in which the signal department bypasses the interlocking system in order to avoid train detention due to signal error. Sources say ESMs often bypass the electronic system to discreetly change the signal to green from the location box (signalling system) to avoid an error showing up in the signal system.