New Delhi: In connection with the recent incident of collision of a goods train with the Kanchenjunga Express, railway drivers unions have claimed that they have new documents to prove the innocence of the goods train driver.
After the accident, the Railway Board held the driver of the goods train responsible for the collision. In the accident that took place near New Jalpaiguri on June 17, 10 people, including the driver of the goods train, were killed and 40 others were injured.
In support of their claim, the drivers unions cited official letter T/369 (3B) issued to goods train drivers for crossing two faulty signals after Ranipatara station premises which mentioned speed limit as 15 kmph, while in another letter – T/A 912, there was no speed restriction.
The employees’ unions have said that the driver of the goods train also died in the accident and we do not know his side, so blaming him is like making him a “scapegoat” for the shortcomings of the railways.
“All the seven train drivers passing through Ranipatra station after 5.50 am were issued T/A 912 to cross nine faulty signals and there was no mention of any speed limit,” Indian Railway Loco Runningmen’s Organisation (IRLRO) working president Sanjay Pandhi said on Friday.
“A separate T/369 (3B) was issued for crossing two signals immediately after leaving Ranipatra station premises with speed limit set at 15 kmph,” he said.
Pandhi argued that letter T/369(3B) and the existing rules of driving through several faulty signals proved that the goods train driver was passing all the faulty signals at normal speed.