Pathway inspectors’ poor `track’ record

MUMBAI, MAY 22: On May 20 afternoon, the motormen of two Western Railway locals experienced severe jerks while passing over a section near ...

MUMBAI, MAY 22: On May 20 afternoon, the motormen of two Western Railway locals experienced severe jerks while passing over a section near Dadar station. They reported the matter immediately to the station staff. However, no staff from the pathway (PW) department reached the spot, just 50 meters away. By then the third local (No. 474) had skipped rails at the troubled spot at 3.30 p.m setting off chaos in its wake. The pathway inspectors’ (PW) team reached there only at 4.15 p.m. Fortunately nobody was injured. The WR engineering department had undertaken an inspection of the tracks and over-head signalling system of this section only two days ago.

In recent times WR local train services are getting disrupted during peak hours too often to be coincidences. “It is due to complacency of the pathway staff who are entrusted with the maintenance of the tracks,” allege the running staff – motormen, guards, shunting masters etc.

Speaking to Express Newsline, a motorman said, “The reason for the derailment was thermal expansion of the rails between Matunga and Dadar railway stations due to summer heat. Tracks have curved inward and replacement is the only solution.”

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The Dadar derailment was not an isolated incident. A week earlier on the same section two pentographs of a local train blew up following a short-circuit leading to a mega-block. On March 18, rail services were thrown out of gear when a sleeper bolt loosened resulting in a rail fracture between Goregaon and Jogeshwari stations. This happened only two days after maintenance work was carried out on this section and new sleepers and rails were laid. However, the engineering department had failed to supervise the work undertaken by the pathway staff. On February 20, an over-head problem between Goregaon and Malad stations brought local services to a standstill for nearly two hours. This section was checked for faults on February 16 during a mega-block. Senior WR engineers allege lack of co-ordination between PW (track maintenance) and signalling department.

They, however, asserted that maintenance work is carried out regularly to ensure smooth operations of the trains. “If any mishap takes place even after maintenance, it is unfortunate and beyond our control,” he added. Meanwhile, a WR spokesperson was asked why mishaps occur a day or two after the mega-block, he termed it as coincidence.