Railways launch probe after Vande Bharat hits auto-rickshaw on track at Kerala station
Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 24
The Indian Railways on Wednesday launched an investigation into the incident in which a Vande Bharat Express hit an auto-rickshaw that had fallen onto the tracks at Akathumuri station near Varkala, in Kerala, narrowly averting a major accident.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has registered a case in connection with the incident and taken the auto-rickshaw driver into custody.
Preliminary assessment by railway officials has pointed to a serious lapse in safety arrangements at the station, where a temporary road built for construction purposes leading to the platform had not been properly barricaded or closed.
This allowed unauthorised access to the platform area, ultimately resulting in the accident.
The incident occurred late on Tuesday night when the auto-rickshaw, driven by a man from Kallambalam, entered the station premises through the temporary access road.
The road had been constructed to transport materials for platform widening works at Akathumuri station.
The auto-rickshaw reportedly reached the platform and then toppled onto the tracks.
Moments later, the Vande Bharat Express, which was passing through the station, collided with the vehicle lying on the track.
Railway officials said the driver was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.
He has been identified as Sudhi, a resident of Kallambalam, and was taken into RPF custody for questioning.
According to officials, the driver claimed that he had lost his way and accidentally entered the construction access road.
Fortunately, no injuries or loss of life were reported in the incident.
Railways said the accident could have had grave consequences, but the disaster was averted due to timely braking and the absence of passengers or railway staff on the track at the time.
Train traffic on the route was disrupted for around one and a half hours following the accident as safety checks and clearance operations were carried out.
Southern Railway officials rushed to the spot and conducted a detailed inspection.
Authorities confirmed that neither the track nor the Vande Bharat train suffered any damage.
The auto-rickshaw was later removed from the track, and normal train services were restored.
The Railways have said a detailed inquiry is underway to fix responsibility for the safety lapse, including the failure to restrict access to the temporary road during construction activities.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Driving drunk onto railway tracks... what was he thinking?! 😐 It's a miracle the Vande Bharat could stop in time. The driver is primarily at fault, but the railway contractors also need to be held accountable. Safety protocols during construction are non-negotiable.
Shows the excellent braking system of our Vande Bharat trains! 🇮🇳 A major disaster was averted. But this incident exposes the chalta-hai attitude on both sides - the drunk driver and the careless railway officials who didn't secure the site. Inquiry must be swift and strict.
While I'm relieved there were no casualties, I have a respectful criticism. The article focuses on the probe and the driver, but what about the locals? Was there no signage warning about the construction? Public awareness is also part of safety. Hope the inquiry looks into that.
Visiting Kerala next month and this is concerning. Glad everyone is safe. It highlights a common issue in many infrastructure projects here - temporary arrangements are often the most dangerous. Hope the Railways conduct a pan-India safety audit of all ongoing works.
Bhai, "lost his way" onto a railway platform? While drunk? That's some story. Jokes aside, this is no laughing matter. The temporary road should have been closed with proper barricades and maybe even a security guard at night. Basic safety, yaar.
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