ROURKELA: Even as five employees of the South Eastern Railway (SER) were suspended for the goods train crash at Malgodown slum, a wagon of another locomotive derailed at Rourkela station on Thursday, sending senior SER authorities into a tizzy.
Sources said 36 hours after the Malgodown incident, one of the wheels of a goods train was found derailed between platforms 4 and 5 of Rourkela railway station in the evening. Following the incident, local SER authorities swung into action to restore normalcy and launched another inquiry into the derailment.
Senior divisional commercial manager and spokesperson for Chakradharpur division of SER Aditya Chaudhury confirmed that one wheel of a wagon of the ballast-laden RMC (Railway Materials Consignment) rake derailed. However, there was no restriction on movement of coaching trains. Asked about the possible reason behind the derailment, he said a team has reached the spot to conduct a detailed inquiry.
Chaudhury further said five SER employees - loco pilot of the goods train, manager of Rourkela railway station and three shunting masters - have been placed under suspension for the Malgodown incident in which a goods train from the SER warehouse broke through barriers and reached the slum. Further inquiry is continuing.
On Wednesday morning, the goods train moving in reverse direction during rake placement in Malgodown railway siding broke through the track buffer, destroyed the protective boundary wall, and ploughed through the paved road on its western side before stopping dangerously close to a slum dwelling.
Soon after the incident, Kolkata-based SER general manager Anil Mishra, who was on an inspection tour to Bolani railway station in Keonjhar district, reached Rourkela. He along with senior SER authorities went to the derailment site.
Talking to local media persons, Mishra admitted that the incident took place due to mismanagement and said a comprehensive inquiry would be conducted. Those found guilty would not be spared. He also hinted at improving the shunting and loading system with shifting of the warehouse to a safer place.