Derailment in Nalpur: Inside the Old Equipment That Led to the Secunderabad-Shalimar Train Drama

The Secunderabad-Shalimar Weekly Superfast Express derailed at Nalpur station in West Bengal due to flawed signal equipment dating back to 1989. An accidental push to the relay system by a signal maintainer caused the derailment, exposing severe infrastructural neglect and prompting calls for urgent equipment upgrades.

An investigation into the derailment of the Secunderabad-Shalimar Weekly Superfast Express at West Bengal's Nalpur station has unveiled severe vulnerabilities in railway signal systems. The probe found that outdated technology and inadequate maintenance procedures were key factors behind the incident, which remarkably did not result in casualties.

The derailment on November 2024 was thrust into motion when an outmoded relay system manufactured in 1989, and hastily installed in 1999, was inadvertently activated by a night signal maintainer. The maintenance lapse redirected the train's coaches onto a new path, leading to its derailment at Point no 26.

In light of this, the East Central Railway's Deputy Chief Safety Officer reported on the necessity for a comprehensive overhaul of antiquated equipment across regions still relying on obsolete systems. Such infrastructure revamp is urged to prevent future incidents stemming from similar oversight.

(With inputs from agencies.)