Chhattisgarh train accident: investigation confirms train overshot signal in red

A preliminary probe into the bid mishap adjacent Bilaspur successful Chhattisgarh that near 11 radical dead and a fewer much injured connected November 4, 2025, has recovered the unit had crossed the awesome successful red, resulting successful the collision.

While a loco pilots’ relation claimed determination were visibility issues arsenic the mishap took spot successful a curve with antithetic lines and signals, starring to disorder nether the glaring sunlight, a fact-finding study comprising elder railway officials drawn from assorted departments concluded that the mishap came nether the “Signal Passed At Danger” (SPAD) category.

The ill-fated rider bid collided with a goods bid proceeding up connected the aforesaid line. Loco aviator Vidya Sagar died connected the spot portion his adjunct was admitted to the infirmary with grievous injuries and was not acceptable to springiness connection connected the circumstances that led to the accident.

According to sources successful the All India Loco Running Staff Association (AILRSA) successful South East Central Railway, mainline electrical aggregate portion (MEMU) rider trains usually had lone 1 loco pilot. However, successful Train no. 68733 (Gavera Road to Bilaspur), an adjunct loco aviator was besides deployed since the loco aviator had not cleared the aptitude test.

Crew mislaid control

The probe study said the unit “failed to power the awesome astatine danger” and collided with the rear brake van of the freight bid resulting successful the SPAD case. “The unit are held liable for not controlling the bid astatine the close clip and close presumption earlier the ‘danger signal...,” the root who had entree to the study told The Hindu connected Sunday (November 9, 2025).

AILRSA zonal caput V.K. Tiwari said an effort was being made to blasted loco pilots instantly aft the mishap adjacent without conducting an inquiry. He said the bid was moving astatine 45 kmph aft crossing the earlier awesome successful yellowish and the loco pilots picked up velocity to 76 kmph astir apt reasoning that the double-yellow awesome meant for the adjacent enactment successful the curve was theirs.

“However, connected seeing different bid connected the aforesaid enactment the loco aviator applied exigency brakes and brought down the velocity of the train. The velocity of the MEMU astatine the clip of collision was 48 kmph going by information logger report,” Mr. Tiwari said.

Meanwhile, B.K. Mishra, Commissioner of Railway Safety (under the Ministry of Civil Aviation), South Eastern Circle, Kolkata, concluded his mandatory probe into the fatal accident. “The AILRSA has fixed a practice to the CRS conveying our concerns,” helium said.