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Rlys to remove 16 double diamond crossings in Pune division
Railway board has decided to remove 16 double diamond crossings across Pune railway division following derailment of Vande Bharat Express at Pune railway station yard on April 27
PUNE: Following the derailment of the Mumbai-Solapur Vande Bharat Express at the Pune railway station yard on April 27, the railway board has decided to remove 16 old, ‘double diamond crossings’ across the Pune railway division as part of a nationwide safety upgrade. These complex crossing structures, commonly used in congested railway yards to divert trains between multiple tracks and platforms, will now be replaced with newly-designed, advanced crossings aimed at improving operational safety and reducing derailment risks. Railway officials said that the work is expected to begin soon, with new crossings already arriving in Pune.
Officials said that around 16 such old crossings located in both yards of Pune Junction railway station will be removed and replaced with modern crossings featuring an advanced design. Four new crossings have already reached Pune, and railway authorities are preparing to begin installation work shortly. Similar upgrades are also expected to be carried out in other railway divisions across the country.
The decision comes after the Mumbai-Solapur Vande Bharat Express suffered a wheel-slip derailment while entering the Pune railway station yard on April 27, marking the first-ever accident involving a Vande Bharat train in the Pune railway division. The incident was treated seriously by the railway board, prompting an immediate review of old rail infrastructure, particularly the ageing ‘double diamond crossing’ system still in use at several major railway station yards.
A ‘double diamond crossing’ is a specialised railway track arrangement where two rail lines intersect diagonally, creating a diamond-like structure. These crossings are widely used in busy railway station yards such as Pune, where space is limited and trains frequently need to be diverted between different platforms and routes. The arrangement allows greater operational flexibility within compact spaces, and helps railway authorities manage heavy train movement efficiently.
However, railway experts point out that these crossings also involve multiple points and switches operating simultaneously, making them highly sensitive to maintenance standards and speed regulation. Even a minor technical lapse, excessive speed, or improper alignment can increase the possibility of wheels slipping or coaches derailing, especially in high-density yards handling continuous train traffic.
Hemant Kumar Behera, public relations officer (PRO) of the Pune railway division, said that the removal of the double diamond crossings is part of a larger, national-level safety strategy initiated after the Vande Bharat derailment. “The decision to phase out the old double diamond crossings has been taken at the national level, and the process of implementation has already started. These crossings were useful in managing train movements in congested yards, but with increasing traffic and the introduction of high-speed and semi high-speed trains, railway infrastructure also needs to evolve. The newly designed crossings are technologically more advanced and are expected to significantly improve operational safety. The railway administration is taking every necessary precaution to ensure safer train journeys for passengers,” Behera said.
