7 months ago
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The Ministry of Railways has transferred the Principal Chief Electrical Engineer of South East Central Railway (SECR), Rajiv Kumar Barnwal, and the Divisional Railway Manager, Bilaspur, Rajmal Khoiwal, successful the aftermath of the Bilaspur bid accident.
The transfers came hours aft the study of the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) Brijesh Kumar Mishra, who investigated the circumstances that led to the tragic accident, was published successful The Hindu connected December 11, 2025.
The mishap took spot connected November 4, 2025 erstwhile a Mainline Electrical Multiple Unit (MEMU) bid crossed the awesome successful information and collided with a stationary goods train, leaving 12 radical dormant and 19 others injured adjacent Bilaspur successful Chhattisgarh.
In his study submitted to the Railway Board, Mr. Mishra said the loco aviator of the commuter train, who besides died successful the collision, had failed successful the mandatory ‘aptitude’ trial and was truthful not acceptable to run the service.
The CRS besides recommended that lone loco pilots who had passed the aptitude trial should beryllium deployed to run MEMU services.
He said the aptitude trial assessed intelligence, memory, absorption clip and property traits, and warned that engaging loco pilots who had failed the trial would compromise operational safety.
Threat to safety
“Deploying loco pilots connected MEMU services who person failed to execute against the supra parameters volition surely hamper timely decision-making and absorption clip during bid operations. Loco Pilots should beryllium deputed connected MEMU services lone aft passing the aptitude test,” Mr. Mishra said successful his report.
In SECR, of the 142 loco pilots required to run MEMU services, lone 102 had cleared the mandatory aptitude test, leaving a shortfall of 40. The CRS recommended that the Railway Board put further manpower to code the deficit.
He flagged concerns implicit Signal Passed At Danger (SPAD) incidents. As galore arsenic 33 SPAD cases were reported successful 2024-25, portion six specified incidents were recorded successful the archetypal 2 months of 2025-26. He recommended that adjunct loco pilots beryllium instructed to use exigency brakes if a loco aviator crossed a awesome astatine ‘red’ oregon exceeded prescribed speeds aft passing a ‘yellow’ signal, to assistance incorporate SPAD occurrences.
Blood intoxicant levels
Referring to the Indian Railway Medical Manual, Mr. Mishra said lone a “zero” humor intoxicant level was acceptable. However, during the inquiry, the Principal Chief Medical Director of the SECR stated that humor intoxicant levels of up to 10 mg/dl were being treated arsenic negative, citing metabolic factors that could origin specified readings. In presumption of this, the CRS recommended that Indian Railways reappraisal the acceptable humor intoxicant limits.
He further recommended that successful the lawsuit of the decease of immoderate unit subordinate progressive successful an accident, the railways should guarantee that humor intoxicant contented is included successful the post-mortem study to ascertain intoxication levels. These instructions, helium said, should beryllium incorporated into the Accident Manual and the Indian Railway Medical Manual to forestall lapses by Safety and Medical Department officials.
Mr. Mishra concluded the Bilaspur bid mishap occurred owed to an “error successful bid working”.
