A probe by Western Railway (WR) has concluded that the derailment of six wagons of a freight train in Palghar on May 28 was caused by improperly secured coils loaded on the wagons. The incident, which significantly disrupted the Mumbai-Surat route, resulted in the cancellation of 53 trains and the partial cancellation of 28 trains, with services taking at least 24 hours to restore.
A five-member team of J-grade officers was appointed to investigate the derailment of the train, which was carrying coils from Waltair division to Kalamboli. The report identified the primary cause of the failure as the improper securing arrangements of HR coils using steel straps and metal saddles, improper loading of coils, and inadequate examination procedures. The primary responsibility was attributed to East Coast Railway’s Waltair division at Nagarnar, where M/s NMDC Steel Ltd did not adhere to the prescribed instructions for loading and securing the steel coils. Secondary responsibility was assigned to the Carriage and Wagon staff who failed to identify deficiencies in the loading and securing process.
A WR official noted that the cables used to secure the steel coils on the wagons are extremely strong and are handled by third-party experts. However, in this instance, the investigation revealed that the cables had loosened, causing the steel coils to shift, which ultimately led to the wagons derailing. At the time of the accident, 12 steel coils had been loaded from Dantewada and were to be unloaded in Kalamboli. WR sources estimated the losses incurred due to the incident at Rs 1.5 crore, citing significant damage to rail infrastructure and revenue loss from train cancellations. The derailment not only caused the wheels and couplings of the wagons to detach but also led to the separation of the main structures of the wagons. The removal of the many tons of steel coils presented a major challenge for the recovery teams.
The incident underscores the critical importance of adhering to proper loading and securing protocols for freight transportation. The failure to follow these protocols not only resulted in substantial financial losses but also highlighted the potential risks to rail safety and infrastructure integrity. Moving forward, stricter compliance and regular inspections will be essential to prevent such occurrences and ensure the safe transport of goods across the rail network.
