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What is the cause of Andhra Pradesh Train Accident?

Signal violation and human error found to be main causes of Andhra Pradesh Train Accident. 13 dead, 54 injured

By Ground Report Desk
New Update
What is the cause of Andhra Pradesh Train Accident?

At least 13 people were killed and 54 others injured when two passenger trains collided in Andhra Pradesh’s Vizianagaram district on Sunday evening. The Andhra Pradesh train accident was caused by human error. The driver of the Rayagada passenger train missed a red signal.

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The accident occurred when the Visakhapatnam-Rayagada passenger special (08504) rammed into the rear of the Visakhapatnam-Palasa passenger (08532), which had stopped on the tracks due to a break in an overhead cable.

Cause of Andhra Pradesh Train Accident

A preliminary investigation by the railway authorities has found that human error and signal violation were the main causes of the collision.

Biswajit Sahu, Chief Public Relations Officer of East Coast Railway while speaking to NDTV stated that the loco pilot and assistant loco pilot of the Rayagada-bound train had “overshot the signal” and failed to stop at a safe distance from the Palasa-bound train. Both the loco pilots were among those who died in the accident.

"The driver of the Visakhapatnam-Rayagada passenger train was responsible for the accident, as he overshot a signal and hit the rear end of the Palasa train. The driver of the Rayagada train was also killed in the accident," said  Biswajit Sahu, Chief Public Relations Officer at East Coast Railways.

The impact of the collision caused four coaches of the second train to derail and fall on the adjacent track. The rescue and relief operations were carried out by hundreds of emergency workers, who used cranes, cutters and gas torches to clear the wreckage and pull out the trapped passengers. The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals, where four of them are said to be in critical condition.

Union Railways Minister expressed condolences

Union Railways Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw expressed his condolences and said he was in touch with the railway officials and local authorities.

The accident has disrupted the rail traffic on the route, with 33 trains being cancelled and 22 others being diverted. The railway officials expect the affected track to be cleared for traffic by Monday evening.

"Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed shock over the tragic train crash, directed the officials to pay a compensation of ₹ 10 lakh each to the family members of the victims and ₹ 2 lakh each to the injured.

The state has announced the compensation. He also announced a compensation of ₹ 2 lakh each to the family of those who lost their lives and ₹ 50,000 each for those injured by other states, according to an official release.

The accident has raised questions about the safety and maintenance of the railway infrastructure in India, which has witnessed several rail accidents in recent years. The worst rail accident in India’s history occurred in June this year, when three trains collided in Odisha’s Balasore district, killing 292 people and injuring thousands more.

List of trains that have been cancelled

Train No. Train Name Origin Destination Status
08527 Raipur- Visakhapatnam Passenger Raipur Visakhapatnam Cancelled
08528 Visakhapatnam- Raipur Passenger Visakhapatnam Raipur Cancelled
08532 Palasa-Visakhapatnam Special Palasa Visakhapatnam Cancelled
08531 Visakhapatnam-Korba Express Visakhapatnam Korba Cancelled
08533 Palasa-Visakhapatnam Special Palasa Visakhapatnam Cancelled
08534 Visakhapatnam-Paradeep Express Visakhapatnam Paradeep Cancelled
08535 Paradeep-Visakhapatnam Express Paradeep Visakhapatnam Cancelled
08536 Korba-Visakhapatnam Express Korba Visakhapatnam Cancelled
08504 Rayagada-Visakhapatnam Passenger Special Rayagada Visakhapatnam Diverted via Vizianagaram, Bobbili, Parvatipuram, Rayagada
08503 Vizianagaram-Visakhapatnam Special Vizianagaram Visakhapatnam Diverted via Vizianagaram, Bobbili, Parvatipuram, Rayagada
08537 Visakhapatnam-Gunupur Special Visakhapatnam Gunupur Diverted via Vizianagaram, Bobbili, Parvatipuram, Rayagada
08538 Gunupur-Visakhapatnam Special Gunupur Visakhapatnam Diverted via Vizianagaram, Bobbili, Parvatipuram, Rayagada

List of trains that have been short-terminated

Train No. Train Name Short-Terminated at Short Originating from Remarks
20809 Sambalpur-Nanded Vizianagaram Sambalpur
17479 Puri-Tirupati Express Balugaon Puri
07468 Visakhapatnam-Vizianagaram Pendurthi Visakhapatnam
11019 CST Mumbai-Bhubaneswar Konark Express Visakhapatnam CST Mumbai
11020 Bhubaneswar-CST Mumbai CST Mumbai Visakhapatnam
Puri-Chennai Express Palasa Puri Will return as a Passenger Special to Puri
Yesvantpur-Puri Express Visakhapatnam Will remain cancelled from Visakhapatnam to Puri
Tirupati-Bhubaneswar Express Visakhapatnam Will remain cancelled from Visakhapatnam to Bhubaneswar

List of trains that will be diverted

Train No. Train Name Departure Station Diversion Details
03357 Baruni-Coimbatore Special Express Barauni Diverted, specific diversion details not provided
18189 Tata-Ernakulam Express Tata Diverted, specific diversion details not provided
11020 Bhubaneswar-CST Mumbai-Konark Express Bhubaneswar Diverted, specific diversion details not provided
12703 Howrah-Secunderabad Falaknuma Express Howrah Diverted, specific diversion details not provided
12245 Howrah-SVM Bangalore Duronto Express Howrah Diverted, specific diversion details not provided

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