Bikaner Express Mishap: Locomotive Had Been Running For 18,000 Km Without Mandatory Inspections, Says CRS Inquiry Report

Finding glaring lapses in the derailment of Bikaner-Guwahati Express on January 13 this year, which claimed nine lives, the Commissioner for Railway Safety (CRS) has found out that the locomotive was running without the mandatory scheduled inspection.

The electric locomotive had missed the mandatory trip inspection after every 4,500 km running and continued to haul the train for 18,000 km when it got derailed, according to the preliminary report submitted by the CRS, Northeast Frontier section.

The report has also questioned "ghost examinations" being conducted on the rail network.

The traction motor of the locomotive had fallen off the track, causing the derailment of the Bikaner Express in Jalpaiguri and the Railways had ordered an inquiry by CRS after the accident.

"During the inquiry, it has come to notice that the locomotive has undergone last trip inspection on December 6, 2021 and it was since then running continuously and logged about 18,000 km before eventual derailment attended with fallen traction motor on January 13, 2022," the report submitted to the Railway Board stated.

The CRS has pointed out that as per the prescribed inspection schedule, locomotives shall undergo trip inspection at every 4,500 km, which was not ensured.

The loco was working continuously as a miss link loco; it did not touch the nominated station for trip inspection.

The report said, "Trip inspection is an important examination in which undergear of the loco is inspected by trained railway officials to ensure safety and it is expected that railways have institutionalised systems to monitor and ensure that it is done in time."

It has also found out that stations allotted for trip inspection did not have such a facility for examination.

How such a ghost examination can take place is a matter of investigation by railways, the CRS report said.

Recommending necessary steps to prevent such mishaps, the Commissioner of Railway Safety has suggested that the Railways takes necessary steps to ensure that trip inspections are monitored for each locomotive.

"It shall be the Railway's responsibility to ensure that a locomotive undergoes all scheduled attention and examination, including trip inspection, on time. The Railways shall check that all stations nominated for inspection of locomotives have requisite facilities and loco links issued by the Railways are executable in the field to ensure timely inspection and maintenance," it recommended.

CRS has also recommended involving the safety directorate of the national transporter to check the loco links and ensure necessary corrective action wherever required.