Balasore train accident: Driver was conscious & confirmed that he got green signal, says Rail Board

Balasore: In a major development, the Rail Board Member Jaya Varma Singa has revealed that the driver of the ill-fated Coromandel Express was conscious after the crash and was in a condition to confirm that he got a green signal.

Speaking to ANI, Jaya Varma Sinha, a member of Operation and Business Development, Railway Board, informed that she spoke to the driver of the ill-fated trains. The drivers confirmed that they moved the trains after getting a green signal.

“I have seen rumors being spread about overriding of signals and speed. But, these are just rumors. Both the drivers said they moved the train after getting a green signal and were moving at a speed of 128 km per hour,” she said.

Further, the senior rail official added that the route where the accident occurred is a “high-speed” zone where the drivers are prescribed to run at a speed of a maximum of 130 kmph.

“As per the speedometer,– a gauge that measures and displays the instantaneous speed of a vehicle– both the trains were running at a speed of 128 kmph,” noted Sinha.

“Safety is the top priority for Railways. We are making sure that the evidence does not get tampered ad that any witness does not get affected,” said Sinha. “Only one train was involved in the accident, it was the Coromandel Express. The Coromandel Express crashed with the goods train and its coaches went on top of the goods train. It was an iron ore-laden train, a heavy train, therefore the entire impact of the collision was on the train,” she said.