103 rly mishaps in 18 months

Obsolete railway tracks, old signal and spare parts, shortage of strong slipper and stone chips and negligence of train drivers (loco master) and station masters are also other reasons of accidents.

Train accidents occurred frequently along 336 kilometres railway routes of Akhaura-Sylhet, Akhaura-Narsindi and Akhaura-Lakhsam due to lack of proper maintenance.

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According to Akhaura railway office sources, during last two and a half years, more than 100 accidents including three major accidents took place in different parts of the Eastern Railway zone. At least 15 persons were killed and about 1,000 others injured while property of passengers and railway authorities worth about Tk 50 crore damaged in the accidents.

Due to old and faulty signals, trains are running at risk along Akhaura-Saystagonj railway route. Akhaura railway junction was declared unfit six time due to lack of adequate chips and strong slippers. Incidents of train derailment is a regular feature at Akhaura railway junction.

According to office sources, 103 minor and major accidents of passenger trains and goods train took place till October.

Of those 40 accidents took place along 86 miles route of Akhaura-Narsingdi section including Bhairab Bazar junction. Fourteen accidents took place in 177 kilometre railway route of Akhaura-Sylhet section, 21 accidents occurred in 73 kilometre railway route of Akhaura-Laksam section and 28 accidents took place at Akhaura Railawy junction yard.

Most train accidents occurred because of derailment. Some major accidents took place due to faulty signal, negligence of loco master and station master.

On October 27 in 2002, an accident took place while two inter-city Udayan Express collided head-on at Azampur station due to faulty signal and negligence of loco master and station master. As a result, eight passengers died on the spot and more than 250 passengers were injured.

On June 8, 2002, a container train rammed a truck at the outer signal of Brahmanbaria Railway Station leaving two passengers dead on the spot and injuring five others.

On January 6, 2003, two container trains (No 802 and 805) met a head-on collision at Akhaura leaving three persons dead and injuring seven others.

The same year, an inter-city train, 'Paharika Express' rammed a truck at Mirersarai rail crossing leaving two persons dead and injuring 10 others.

Rest others were injured in different railway accidents occurred due to derailment of wheels from the railway track.

Brahmanbaria Station Moster Fazlur Rahman informed that goods train line from Brahmanbaria station to LSD godown remained unfit for goods train movement as there was no slipper in the line. He informed the problem to higher authorities but to no effect, he said.

Akhaura Railway Traffic In-change S R Mollik and loco-foreman TA Chowdhury informed that due to poor signal system, trains are moving at high risk through Sayestaganj railway section.

An engineer informed this correspondent due to shortage of chips and strong slipper frequent train accidents occurred in the yard of Akhaura railway junction.

Already six lines of 21 to 26 lines of the junction are unfit, he said.

On contact, Station Superin-tendent of Akhaura railway junction Babu Harada Mollik said that he always passed his time in tension. He informed the authorities to take immediate step for proper maintenance of railway track and other property.