In a tragic incident highlighting serious concerns around railway track safety protocols, one railway staff member lost his life and four others sustained injuries when the Awadh Assam Express (Train No. 15910) collided with a push trolley engaged in routine track patrolling work in Katihar district of Bihar on Friday.
The incident occurred on the Katihar–Barauni down line, an important rail corridor in eastern India. According to Manoj Kumar Singh, Additional Divisional Railway Manager (ADRM), Katihar, the trolley was deployed as part of standard patrolling procedures aimed at ensuring track integrity and safety.
“The trolley was being used for a scheduled inspection of the track section. Unfortunately, it was struck by the oncoming train, leading to the immediate death of the trolleyman at the site. The four injured personnel were rushed to a hospital for urgent medical attention,” the ADRM stated.
While rail traffic was restored promptly following the incident, and the Awadh Assam Express continued its journey with minimal delay, the incident has triggered a serious re-evaluation of operational safety protocols.
Safety Measures Under Scrutiny
The Divisional Railway Administration has ordered a high-level safety inquiry to determine the exact sequence of events and whether there were any lapses in communication, coordination, or procedural adherence that allowed a patrolling trolley to be on the active track without adequate protection or warning systems.
This incident brings renewed focus to the need for enhanced track patrolling safety, particularly regarding:
- Real-time communication between patrolling teams and train control rooms.
- Deployment of automated track inspection equipment where feasible.
- Use of advanced GPS-enabled monitoring tools for trolley movements.
- Better training and scheduling coordination to avoid human error or oversight.
Need for Strengthened Preventive Mechanisms
Railway safety experts have often emphasized the importance of rigorous standard operating procedures (SOPs) for on-track work, especially in high-speed or high-traffic zones. This tragedy underscores the urgent necessity of ensuring that safety protocols are followed without exception and that patrolling teams are fully safeguarded with real-time situational awareness.
As Indian Railways modernizes its infrastructure and increases train speeds, human-centric safety processes must be upgraded with technology-based solutions, ensuring that railway staff, particularly those engaged in critical ground-level maintenance, are not exposed to preventable risks.
The forthcoming inquiry is expected to lead to policy and operational recommendations aimed at preventing similar incidents in the future and reinforcing the message that safety is non-negotiable in railway operations.