Point failure caused derailment of Mumbai local train near Mahim, say officials

Points are sections of a track, which help the trains move from one railway line to another

Even as the railways announced a probe into the derailment of four compartments of a harbour line train at Mahim on Friday, officials suspect that a point failure was behind the accident.

Points are sections of a track, which help the trains move from one railway line to another. These points can fail under extreme weather or if debris are stuck under the tracks.

After the Andheri-CSMT local derailed at 9.53 am, six injured commuters were given first aid treatment at the station.

The derailment led to a nine-hour disruption on the Harbour Line as trains between Wadala and Andheri were hit.

“The train was operating at the optimum speed of 15 km/hr. The initial probe shows what appears to be a point failure, but we will know the exact details only after the commission of railway safety’s inquiry,’’ said an railway official, who did not wish to be identified.

Officials also told HT that there was another indirect reason for the derailment. It had been decided to terminate the Andheri- CSMT local train at Mahim due to constant OHE tripping at Bandra station. The tripping of the OHE started after an advertisement board of a private coaching class placed at a ROB fell on the OHE. Even after the board was removed the tripping kept on happening. Because of this, authorities took a call to move the train to Mahim, where the derailment occured.

On Saturday, Sushil Chandra, the Commission Of Railway Safety (CRS) on Saturday along with senior officials of Western, Central and Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) inspected the derailment site. The CRS has now called for an open hearing for public and railway officials on Monday to get more information on the incident, which led to the derailment of the local train at Mahim crossover.

“Once the investigation is over and the report is submitted, we will decide and take necessary action against the private coaching class, which had placed the advertisement on the ROB,’’ said another senior railway official.

The commuters who suffered injuries include Yasmin Salim, Siddhi Ramesh Pale, Geeta, Bankelal Kanojia, Pooja and Tarana. They were given first aid at the station and the Bankelal Kanojia who had injured his ankle was rushed to Sion Hospital.

50,000 compensation given to commuters

Four compartment of Andheri - CSMT local train derailed at Mahim crossover on Friday. The local train services between Vadala and Andheri were effected for nine hours.

Rs50,000 as compensation was given to six commuters by the Western Railway.

In July, an engine coach of Mangala Express derailed near Kalyan railway station of the Central Railway.