Odisha train accident: Official flagged flaws in system, warned of disaster

After a fatal crash involving three trains that has killed over 280 in Odisha last evening, questions are being raised about possible operational lapses that could have contributed to the tragedy. The impact was so hard that coaches were lifted high into the air before they smashed onto the tracks. One coach was tossed on its roof. Seventeen coaches of the two trains were severely damaged. The Railways Ministry has ordered a probe into what may have caused the crash. There is more than one version of how the back-to-back crashes took place, but what is certain is that there were three trains and two collisions at the same spot. Among the many questions surrounding the accident is how the Coromandel Shalimar Express was on the same track as the stationary goods train. Was it a technical glitch or a human error? Many have raised the possibility of a signal error. The Railways Ministry has been in the process of installing an anti-collision system "Kavach" across the country. Kavach system alerts when a train jumps a signal which is the leading cause of train collisions. The system can alert the train driver, take control of the brakes and stop the train when it notices another train on the same tracks. However, Railways spokesperson has said that the KAVACH system was not in place in this route. #Odishatrainaccident #KAVACHsystem #Balasoreaccident ~HT.99~PR.153~ED.155~

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