Inquiry launched into train speed limit breaches, railway sets up committee

The Railway Board has initiated an investigation in response to a series of speed limit violations by train drivers.

A special committee has been established to examine the underlying causes of these breaches, which pose a significant risk to the safety of railway operations.

The decision follows two recent episodes where train drivers significantly exceeded the 20 kmph speed limit on a bridge undergoing maintenance, reaching speeds of 120 kmph instead.

The first incident involved the Gatiman Express, India's inaugural semi-high-speed train operating between Hazrat Nizamuddin in Delhi and Virangana Lakshmibai Jhansi Junction in Uttar Pradesh, where the speed restriction was ignored between Jajau and Mania railway stations near Agra Cantt.

Shortly after, a similar infraction occurred with the Malwa Express, which operates between Katra (Jammu) and Indore (Madhya Pradesh), at the identical location.

In light of these violations, on June 3rd, the Railway Board disseminated a notice to all railway zones announcing the formation of a committee tasked with reviewing cautionary directives issued to Loco Pilots and Train Managers.

The committee expressed its intention to conduct video conferences with Loco Pilots to gain insights into cautionary order compliance at the operational level.

Each division was instructed to select Loco Pilots to participate in a scheduled meeting on June 5th.

The virtual meeting saw participation from over 180 Loco Pilots and Loco Inspectors, who collectively proposed various measures to ensure adherence to speed restrictions.

Speed limits are imposed by Railways for safety reasons due to factors such as track conditions, repair work, aging bridges, and station yard remodeling.

Loco Pilots and their assistants are required to acquire a full route chart with advisory and cautionary speed limits before commencing their journey and are expected to adhere to these limits throughout.

During operation, advisories and cautions are vocally communicated between the assistant driver and the driver for confirmation.

Suggestions from the meeting included implementing a system where train guards remind drivers of upcoming speed restrictions via walkie-talkie, a practice currently in use within Kota division.

Additionally, there were proposals for clearer presentation of caution orders in bold, larger fonts on white paper and the use of color highlighters for marking restrictions.

Discussions also touched upon whether permanent speed restrictions should be included in caution orders alongside temporary ones.

The committee is set to consider these recommendations and explore other methods to determine if revisions are necessary for operational standards related to speed restrictions, all aimed at enhancing train operation safety.