Government of India Ministry of Civil Aviation (Commission of Railway Safety) SATISH KUMAR MITTAL Commissioner of Railway Safety, Southern Circle, No.7 Seshadri Road, Gandhinagar, Bangalore –560 009 No.T.11017A/9/2011-2012/9 Dated: September 27, 2011 To, The Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety, Ashok Marg, Lucknow – 226 001 Sir, Sub: Collision of 66017 Chennai Beach – Vellore Cantonment MEMU train with rear- end of 56007 Arakkonam-Katpadi Passenger train between Arakkonam West Cabin and Chitteri stations at Km. 74/10-12 on the Down Line of Arakkonam- Katpadi Electrified Double Line BG section in Chennai Division of Southern Railway at about 21:23 hrs on 13.09.2011 --- I - INTRODUCTION 1.1 Preamble 1.1.1 In accordance with Rule 3 of the “Statutory Investigation into Railway Accident Rules, 1998” issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation vide Gazette Notification No. GSR 257 dated December 26, 1998, I hereby submit the Preliminary Report pertaining to the above subject matter. 1.1.2 Unless otherwise apparent from the context, the terms “leading”/”trailing”, “left”/’right”, “front”/”rear” are with reference to the direction of the movement of Train no. 66017 Main Line Electric Multiple Unit Down Train. Henceforth, in this Report, this Train is referred to simply as “66017 MEMU” or “the colliding train”. The train No. 56007 Arakkonam-Katpadi Passenger is referred to simply as “56007 Passenger” or “the collided train”. 1.1.3 The station ‘Arakkonam West Cabin’ is also called ‘Melpakkam’ and has been referred as ‘Arakkonam West cabin” in the report. 1.2 Inspection and Inquiry Page 1 of 13 1.2.1 On 13.9.2011 at 23.35 hrs, CSO/Southern Railway informed me about the subject accident. CSO conveyed that rear-end collision had taken place between Arakkonam West Cabin and Chitteri stations. He also told that there were deaths and injuries to passengers. I conveyed to him my intention of inquiring into the accident and advised him to arrange preservation of clues and arrange photography of site and affected trains. 1.2.2 Based on my instructions, notifications were got publicised by the Railway Administration in newspapers in Chennai area intimating members of public having knowledge related to the accident to tender evidence at the Inquiry to be held from 10.00 hrs. of 16.09.2011 till its completion on 17.09.2011. 1.2.3 I left Bangalore for the accident spot by 12608 Express on 14.09.2011. This train left Bangalore at 09.45 hrs instead of at 06.30 hrs. I reached Katpadi station at 13.55 hrs, and from there I was taken by road to Chitteri station. 1.2.4 I reached Chitteri station at 16.15 hrs. CSO, CSE, ADRM and other Officers of Southern Railway met me at the station. I went through the report of data logger of the station and then proceeded to site of accident. I inspected the site of accident and damaged coaches of the train between Arakkonam West Cabin and Chitteri Down line between 16.45 hrs and 17.30 hrs. 1.2.5 I visited injured passengers at General Hospital/Arakkonam from 17.45 to 18.15 hrs. on the same day. I was informed that 36 passengers were admitted there. I enquired from passengers whether they were satisfied with the medical treatment given and also sought to know if they could offer any clues or leads with regard to the accident. All the injured passengers admitted in General Hospital/Arakkonam were travelling in 56007 Passenger. Some passengers told that 56007 Passenger had stopped at signal. When it started moving to Chitteri station, they heard a loud sound and they were thrown off their seats. 1.2.6 Honourable Minister for Railways accompanied by Chairman, Railway Board, Member Engineering, Member Electrical and Additional Member (Signal) had visited the accident spot on 14.09.2011 and injured passengers in hospital. 1.2.7 I came back to Bangalore by 12007 Shatabdi Express on 14.9.2011. Page 2 of 13 1.2.8 I reached Chennai on the morning of 16.09.2011 for conducting Inquiry. I visited the General Hospital/Chennai between 09.00 to 10.15 hrs, there I met injured passengers and enquired about their well-being, their satisfaction about medical treatment and also if they could give any clues to arrive at result of inquiry. I was accompanied by CSO, DRM, ADRM and other Officers during hospital visit. 1.2.9 The Inquiry commenced at 10.30 hrs of 16.09.2011 in the DRM’s Conference Hall, Chennai. I inspected the site of accident again from 17.00 to 18.00 hrs. and carried out footplate inspection of Arakkonam West Cabin-Chitteri block section by a MEMU train between 19.00 to 19.30 hrs. to check the visibility of signals. Visibility of all the signal was good. 1.2.10 The Inquiry continued from 09.00 hrs to 13.30 hrs of 17.09.2011. 1.2.11 Total 47, out of which 36 were railway witnesses and 11 were members of public, witnesses were examined. The following SAG Officers from Southern Railway HQ attended the inquiry proceedings: Shri S. Mohan … Chief Safety Officer Shri Dani Thomas … Chief Track Engineer Shri M. Sivanandam … Chief Traffic Planning Manager Shri B. Shanmuganandam … Chief Rolling Stock Engineer Shri S.P. Vavre … Chief Electrical Loco Engineer Shri N.K. Gupta … Chief Electric Traction Engineer Shri T.G. Osuru … Chief Signal Engineer Shri S. Anantharaman … Divisional Railway Manager/Chennai Shri John Thomas … Additional Divisional Railway Manager/ Chennai 1.2.12 Notices about the Statutory Inquiry had been published in English newspapers i.e. “The Times of India”, “The Hindu” and other Vernacular Newspapers like Dinamalar, Dina Thanthi, Malai Malar on 15.09.2011. Page 3 of 13 1.2.13 Preservation of clues: Photographs and video of site and damaged coaches relevant to the cause of accident were arranged by Railway Administration. Observations of the site and both the trains had been got recorded. Records of data loggers of Arakkonam, Arrakonam west cabin and Chitteri stations, MEMU maintenance, speedometer charts and control office records had been preserved by the Railway and these were produced in the Inquiry. 1.3 Brief description of the Accident 1.3.1 66017 MEMU train started from Arakkonam at 21:15 hrs (01:28 hrs late). It passed through Arakkonam West Cabin. The train was on its way to Chitteri station when it collided with rear end of 56007 Passenger train in the mid-section at km. 74/10-12 at 21.23 hrs. 1.3.2 Driving motor coach and 3 trailer coaches of the 66017 MEMU train derailed and were lying at km 74/12-16. Front cabin of driving motor coach 13007 was smashed, leading bogie was riding over the bogie of mangled coach SLR 92727 of 56007 passenger. 1.3.3 2 rear coaches of 56007 Passenger derailed. Guard compartment of last coach SLR 92727 was crushed; body severed from underframe and was lying at km 74/14-16 on UP line. The 2nd from last, coach SRGS88442 capsized towards right and rested on side body between UP and DN lines at km 74/16-18. 1.3.4 Sketch of the accident site is enclosed in annexure – 1. 1.3.5 Due to the accident OHE tripped. Movements of trains on Up line and Down lines was stopped by the Control. 1.3.6 I regret to report that as a result of the accident, 10 passengers, including the Guard of 56007 Passenger, were killed. 24 passengers, including Motorman of 66017 MEMU train, suffered grievous injuries and 66 passengers sustained simple injuries. 1.3.7 The Railway Administration has estimated the actual occupancy of 56007 Passenger as 656 passengers. Carrying capacity of this train was 656. Page 4 of 13 The 66017 MEMU train had carrying capacity of 618 passengers. At the time of accident, it was estimated to be carrying about 465 passengers. II – RELIEF MEASURES 2.1 Intimation First information of the accident was conveyed by the Loco Pilot of 56007 Passenger Train to the Station Masters of Chitteri, Arakkonam West Cabin and TLC / Chennai at 21.25 hrs (control timing) through his mobile phone. Control informed TPC to switch off OHE power supply and informed Divisional Officers. 2.2 Medical attention and relief 2.2.1 ARME/Chennai Central was ordered at 21.29 hrs. It left at 22.00 hrs and reached accident spot at 23.55 hrs. By that time, injured persons had been taken to General Hospital/Arakkonam with the help of ambulances provided by 108 State Service, Apollo Hospital and L&T Cement factory located nearby. 2.2.2 ARME/Renigunta was ordered at 21.40 hrs. It left Renigunta at 22.45 hrs. and arrived Arakkonam West Cabin at 23.59 hrs. ARME/Jolarpettai was ordered at 22.20 hrs. It left Jolarpettai at 22.52 hrs. and arrived Sevur station at 01.55 hrs next day. 2.2.3 Injured persons were first admitted in the General Hospital/Arakkonam and were later referred to General Hospital/Chennai and Divisional Railway Hospital/Arakkonam. They expressed their satisfaction about medical attention during my visit to Hospitals. 2.2.4 Ex-gratia payment of Rs.5,00,000/- each was paid to the next of kin of the dead. Rs.1,00,000 was paid as ex-gratia to 12 grievously injured passengers and Rs. 25,000/- was disbursed as ex-gratia to 51 passengers with simple injuries. 2.3 Restoration Page 5 of 13 2.3.1 ART/Chennai Central was ordered at 21.29 hrs.