Odisha train accident: What is a loop line that Coromandel Express wrongly took?

Army columns were rushed in and Air Force helicopters deployed for relief and rescue operations for passengers injured in the triple train crash site.

The Coromandel Express train involved in the accident in Odisha's Balasore took the wrong track minutes before the tragedy, according to initial reports from the railways signalling control room. The Chennai-bound Coromandel Express took the loop line instead of the main line just ahead of Bahanagar Bazar station on Friday evening, a senior railways official said on condition of anonymity.

An aerial view of three trains that collided with each other resulting in a major accident in which at least 238 passengers lost their lives, in Balasore district of Odisha on Saturday. (ANI)

The video from the signalling control room of the Kharagpur division shows four railway tracks including two main lines and two loop lines. HT has seen the video. 12841 Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express running at about 127 km per hour collided with the goods train parked on the loop line and derailed on the main line.

Within minutes of the collision, according to the official cited above, the Howrah-bound Yashwantnagar Express coming from the opposite direction collided with the Coromandel Express.

What is a loop line that Coromandel Express took?

According to Indian Railways, loop lines are constructed in the station area – in this case, Bahanagar Bazar station – to accommodate more trains to ease out the operations. The loop lines are generally 750 metres in length to accommodate full-length goods train with multiple engines. Indian Railways, however, has been encouraging the construction of loop lines of around 1500 meters, which is double the existing loop line length.

There's still no clarity on whether the incident was a result of human error or a technical glitch.

While the initial reports suggest that the accident may have been the result of human error since the train took the wrong track minutes before the tragedy, a retired railway official of the East Coast Railway zone hinted at technical glitches and signal issues.

"Though the goods train was on the loop line of the railway station as per the signal panel kept in the station manager's office, the last few bogies of it may still be physically present on the main line when Coromondal Express came rushing at 127 km per hour," the former official said on condition of anonymity.

(With inputs from Bureau)