Tamil Nadu: Southern Railway Probes Signal Error in Mysuru-Darbhagan Train Crash Resembling Odisha's 2023 Balasore Accident

Chennai: Striking similarities have emerged – based on preliminary findings – between the Mysuru-Darbhanga Express train accident near Chennai late Friday night and last year’s Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express train accident in Balasore, Odisha, in which 290 passengers were killed. Fortunately, the impact of the latest train accident has been limited as passengers survived with injuries.

About The Collision

Early findings suggested the Mysuru-Darbhagan Express train rammed into a stationary goods wagon near Kavarapettai in Tiruvallur district, neighbouring Chennai after it was given a green signal to pass through the main line.

“The train was cruising at around 75 kmph, when it instead entered the loop line and collided with the rear of the goods train, stationed there,” a railway official said on Saturday morning. This was similar to the Balasore incident.

In the impact of the collision, 11 coaches were derailed and a parcel van went up in flames (contrary to initial reports about two coaches burning). Fortunately, fire service personnel were able to control the blaze. All injured passengers were rushed to nearby hospitals including Government Stanley Hospital in Chennai. 

A special train was arranged to transport the passengers to their respective destinations and several trains were diverted or rescheduled. Normal rail traffic in the affected section is expected to be restored by Saturday evening. 

Statement Of Southern Railways Manager R N Singh

Southern Railway Manager R N Singh said it was unusual for the Express train to have entered the loop line though the green signal was given for it to enter the main line.

“Signal was given for the main line as the train did not have a scheduled stopping. Yet, it entered the loop line,” he said. A high-level committee would inquire into the circumstances leading to the accident, he added.