CHENNAI: On March 21, a bunch of coaches filled with passengers got decoupled from an EMU train at the Urapakkam station, raising serious questions over passenger safety.
Now it has to light that the coaches were operated beyond their mandatory maintenance cycle of 18 months, which might have contributed to the unprecedented incident.
An RTI reply obtained by Express from the Railways has made it evident that the particular EMU coaches were operated when they should have ideally been taken for overhauling maintenance, in which perhaps the defunct coupler could have been spotted and replaced.
The 12-car EMU coaches parted at Urapakkam underwent periodic overhauling on September 19, 2016 and they were supposed to undergo next overhauling before March 19, 2018. However, the train continued to be put into operation beyond that period.On March 21, after a coupler which connects sixth and seventh coaches malfunctioned, six coaches got detached at the Urapakkam station.
As the incident happened after 18 months from the date of material fitted into the train, the Railways stated that no action could be taken against the supplier company. “The coupler was new and fitted in the coach on September 19, 2016 during the period overhauling. The screws were broken due to material defect. The material was out of warranty,” said the Senior Divisional Electrical Engineer, Rolling Stock, Tambaram,
in his reply.
The Railway Board norms mandate that every EMU coach should undergo a periodic overhauling maintenance for every 18 months. Until a few years ago, EMU trains were put into POH (periodic overhauling) maintenance once in 12 months. Aiming to increase the utilisation of coaches, the POH duration has been increased to 18 months.
“However, the Southern Railway continues to operate trains beyond 18 months for the past few years, risking the passengers’ lives,” said K Baskar, a member of Divisional Rail Users Consultative Committee (DRUCC), Chennai. Each coach maintenance depot should prepare a schedule for maintenance of rolling stocks and should get approval from the Railway Board 12 months in advance. “EMU coaches should be taken off from operation from the 17th month onwards from the date of previous maintenance date,” added Baskar.
The Railways also claimed that there was no negligence on the part of any railway worker or employee who supervised the coach maintenance works. “The coupler failure had taken place due to material defect and no action was taken against any employee,” added the reply.About 11 lakh passengers are served in four suburban sections every day in Chennai.
Short file
The 12-car EMU coaches underwent periodic overhauling on September 19, 2016
Next POH scheduled for March 18, 2018
Railway Board norms mandate POH maintenance for every 18 months
Six coaches parted after material in coach coupler malfunctioned on March 21
Railways unable to take action against supplier as the material has no warranty
No action taken against railway workers also
Nearly 11.5 lakh passengers served by suburban trains in Chennai
Passengers association wants the Railways to adhere to the 18-month limit for POH
2 slip off moving train, die near St Thomas Mt
Chennai: Two youth, who slipped from a moving EMU train died on Monday near St Thomas Mount. The incident occurred at 7.10 pm. The deceased were travelling on the footboard of the Chennai-Chengalpattu fast local train. When the train was passing the station, the two men slipped from the train and their legs were dragged onto the tracks. Trapped between the platform and tracks, they were killed when the train ran over them.