Goods train descends Khandala Ghat at excessive speed; probe ordered

Mumbai, Feb 26 (PTI) A goods train with around 50 wagons descended the `Ghat' or hilly section at excessive speed between Palasdari and Karjat railway stations on Mumbai-Pune route on Thursday afternoon, prompting the Central Railway (CR) to order a probe into the "major safety lapse".

Videos of the speeding train also circulated on social media.

The train with five locomotives was coming down to Karjat from Lonavala, descending Khandala Ghat, one of the steepest Ghat sections in the country.

"It was a major safety lapse," a senior CR official said, adding that the train was speeding at 75 kmph instead of the permissible limit of 60 kmph at around 1.40 pm.

"Two Ghat driver crews and one regular crew were on board. An inquiry has been ordered," said a CR spokesperson. As per the preliminary information, the crew failed to control the train in the Ghat section but succeeded in stopping it between Karjat and Bhivpuri, sources said.

A trainee loco pilot was operating the train, they added.

The train was taken to Chowk station where the brakes were checked. As the brakes were found to be working properly, it is suspected that the crew onboard failed to control the train, the sources said. PTI KK KRK