Mumbai : The Government Railway Police (GRP) has taken direct action against two Central Railway engineers for negligence in connection with the June 9 train accident near the Mumbra station in Thane, which killed four commuters. Besides the four victims, nine people were also injured after falling off two overcrowded local trains. The incident occurred between Diva and Mumbra railway stations when the trains were passing each other at a sharp curve.
According to investigators, the incident reportedly stemmed from recent maintenance lapses just days before the accident, when track number 4 near the station was replaced without proper welding, resulting in uneven rails and hazardous train movements. Technical reports highlighted that, due to the absence of welding, one rail section subsided while another remained elevated. This caused trains to jolt and eventually shift dangerously toward adjacent track number 3.
Heavy rainfall prior to the accident further exposed gaps in maintenance. On several occasions in May and June, waterlogging and ballast washout were observed, yet written requests from the local municipal engineer for repairs were left unaddressed by the accused engineers. Following the accident, the GRP reportedly encountered obstacles in the investigation process. Investigation was obstructed, with the railway itself becoming an accused, a probe official said.
The Central Railway’s initial internal report suggested that the incident occurred when a passenger’s dangling hand or bag hit another train. Independent technical experts from Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI), tasked with an external review, found evidence of ignored warnings and lack of corrective action by the engineers. Their report stated, “This is not just negligence, but a deliberate omission.
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