Agra division suspends station master, controller for diverting Janshatabdi Express on unsafe track

New Delhi, Aug 26 (PTI) The Agra Rail Division on Tuesday suspended a station master and a traffic controller for diverting the Delhi-bound Janshatabdi Express onto an under-repair track, endangering the lives of hundreds of passengers.

Sources said that the alert train crew noticed a red flag posted by the track maintenance staff and applied emergency brakes, stopping the train before it reached the section of track under repair.

Prashashti Srivastava, Divisional Operational Manager and official spokesperson from the division, said that disciplinary action has been taken against two employees.

"There was a case of poor operational planning on the part of two employees. As a disciplinary measure, they have been suspended, till further enquiry," Srivastava told PTI when contacted.

According to sources, between 10:30 and 11:00 am on Tuesday, a passenger reported a health issue, prompting the train ticket examiner to contact the Agra control room with a request to halt the train at Chhata station.

"When the train passed Chhata station because the necessary instructions hadn't reached the loco pilot in time, the TTE again contacted the controller, requesting to deboard the passenger at the next station, Kosi, as his medical condition had further deteriorated," a source said.

"Even when it didn't stop at Kosi, staff present in the train made another request, after which it was decided to halt it at Hodal. However, the station master overlooked the safety norms in a hurry and set the point to divert the train onto a loop line which was under maintenance," the source added.

Officials aware of the incident said that the track maintainers had placed a red flag as a precautionary measure before the loop line began, and the alert train crew immediately applied the brakes to stop it.

"It would have resulted in a major accident had the loco pilot not shown the presence of mind to stop the train. Besides lower-level officials, senior railway officials should also be pulled up for such serious safety lapses," an official from the division said.

He added, "Where were they? Why so much indecisiveness to stop the train when a passenger was reported ill?" PTI JP HIG HIG