Three railwaymen found guilty for Champaner trains collision

Vadodara, Mar 7 (UNI) A four-member high-level committee, probing the recent collision between two goods trains at Champaner station on the Vadodara-Godhra section of the Western Railways, has found three railwaymen responsible for the mishap.

According to Vadodara divisional railway manager K L Pande, the trio-- switchman M M Sumra, electric signal maintainer Parbat Mansukh and signal inspector B D Meena (all posted at Champaner station)-- had been suspended on the basis of the departmental probe.

The committee, which recently submitted its report to the Railway Board, has reportedly held the trio directly responsible for the accident and recommended disciplinary action against four others, including Champaner station master and chief signal inspector, for dereliction of duty.

The mishap occurred early on January 5, when the Tughlakabad-bound Rajdhani special container goods train carrying imported goods from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) rammed into the stationery Gandhidham-Shalimar goods train from behind on a loop line at Champaner station, about 50 km from here.

Though there was no casualty, two drivers were injured and the movement of trains between Mumbai and Delhi was seriously affected, as 13 wagons and the engine of the container goods train jumped the rails causing heavy damage to the overhead equipment.

UNI