Eastern Railway bans issuance of TA-912 authorising Locopilots to cross signal in danger 

Three days after the tragic crash involving a goods train and Kanchanjunga Express in West Bengal that left 10 passengers dead and 43 others injured in West Bengal, Eastern Railway has banned issuance of Travel Authority (TA-912) authorising Locopilots to cross signal in red during signal failures. 

In an order, the Senior Divisional Operations Manager said that it had been in a meeting with the General Manager, Principal Chief Safety Officer and Principal Heads of Departments that “issuance of TA-912 will remain suspended till further advice. All concerned to follow the orders strictly. Any violation of this order will be taken seriously,” he said in the communication addressed to all Station Managers/Station Supervisors/Station Masters and others. 

Validity of TA-912 

Even as confusion prevails over the validity of the TA-912 paper authority issued by the Rangapani Station Master to the Locopilot of the goods train that rammed into the rear of Kanchanjunga Express in Katihar Division of Northeast Frontier Railway, a senior official has put his dissent note in a joint probe that fixed blame on the Locopilot, Assistant Locopilot and Train Manager for the accident. 

The multi-department probe concluded that the goods train did not follow the rules in passing the automatic signal at danger and also moved in “excessive speed”. 

Dissent note 

However, one of the inquiry officials put his dissent note in the report. Chief Loco Inspector, New Jalpaiguri, Om Prakash write that with the failure of automatic signals, the section should have been treated as an absolute block section. 

Carrying traumatised survivors, Kanchanjunga Express reaches Sealdah

He contended that the automatic signals had failed between Rangapani and Chattar Hat railway stations since 5.50 a.m. on June 17, 2024, and hence the Station Master of Rangapani should have declared the situation as prolonged failure and issued TD-912 authority with absolute section block (which means that the section is clear without any obstruction and the train can run at 25 kmph).