Tamil Nadu train mishap: Sabotage in signal system to blame?

Even as senior officials blame the driver of the Chennai Beach-Vellore Cantonment train for jumping signals and ramming into a stationary train resulting in the death of ten and injuries to 80 persons, veteran railway professionals do not rule out the possibilities of sabotage in the signal system.

A senior station master with more than 25 years experience, told DNA that the accident could have been caused because of tampering of the signaling system.

“The distance between two stations are divided into many segments each of certain kilometers. A train gets green signal only if three immediate segments are clear of any obstructions. Then only it can travel in its permissible speed,” said the official.

He said that if only two segments are free of obstructions, then the driver is given the yellow signal. “This is a direction to him to cover the segment cautiously. If only one segment of the track is free of obstructions, the driver gets the red signal,” he said.

The official said what he understands is that the Chennai Beach-Vellore Cantonement train would have been given the green signal instead of the yellow or red signal.

“The fact that he was coming in full speed indicates that he was not aware of the presence of the Arakkonam-Katpadi passenger train in his immediate segment,” he said.

According to this official, outsiders with little bit of inside information have access to train signal systems and could manipulate.

“This is my personal view which I  gathered through my years of experience. I cannot give any other explanations for an abnormal accident like this,” he said.  The official also said that it was time Railway introduced a second driver in suburban trains at least during night hours