Shri Dinesh Kumar Singh, Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), South Central Circle, Secunderabad conducted a statutory inquiry into the Derailment of Train No. 11071DN Kamayani Express at Km 647/26-648/12 and train No. 13201 UP Janata Express at Km 647/25-648/11 between Khirkiya and Bhiringi stations (near Harda in Madhya Pradesh) of Itarsi-Khandwa BG electrified double line section of Bhopal Division of Western Central Railway at about 23.22 hours on 04.8.2015. As a result of the accident, 29 passengers lost their lives and 45 passengers were injured out of whom one was grievously injured.

Shri Dinesh Kumar Singh, Commissioner of Railway Safety, South Central Circle, Secunderabad submitted his preliminary report about this accident to the Government. According to the provisional findings of the Commissioner appended with his preliminary report, the brief description of the cause of the accident is as follows : -

After carefully considering the factual, material and circumstantial evidence, CRS has provisionally come to the conclusion that the derailment of both trains was caused due to washing away of ballast and formation soil beneath the track on UP line (from Km 647/25 to 648/11) and on DN line (from Km. 647/26 to 648/12) on the approaches of Railway Bridge No. 647/4 (Arch Bridge of span 1x6.10m). The failure of railway embankment including the approaches of Bridge No. 647/4 was caused due to sudden washout of the approaches of a Road Bridge at Km. 11/2 on Machak River near Rolgaon village on Sirali-Masangaon District Road on account of very heavy rainfall in the catchment area of Machak River upstream . The sudden surge of water due to washout of approaches of this Road Bridge caused flooding in Mandla village and further caused heading up on upstream of Bridge No. 647/4 which finally started overflowing from the track. Due to overflow of this flood water, the track ballast and embankment started eroding and finally the Railway embankment for nearly 270m including the approaches of Bridge No. 647/4 got washed away.

            In brief the accident was due to the Failure of embankment on the approaches of Railway Bridge No. 647/4 (arch bridge of 1x6.10m span) & washout of approaches of Road Bridge over Machak River at Km. 11/2 on Sirali – Masangaon District – Road. (on account of very heavy rainfall in the catchment area of Machak River upstream).

            These findings are under the consideration of the Government.

            (Note : - This press release is based on the information made available by the Office of Commission of Railway Safety, South Central Circle, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Govt. of India)

MA/RS