Ara derailment: Warning ignored, rules bypassed? Railway Board had flagged the issue 2 weeks earlier, yet officials deployed crew without proper route learning

The loco pilot of the Delhi-bound Sikkim Mahananda Express, which derailed at Bihar’s Ara Junction railway station on September 7, had not completed the required route learning, according to railway records.

A preliminary investigation conducted after the incident held the loco pilot and assistant loco pilot responsible for initially overshooting a red signal and subsequently reversing the train to return it to its original position. The train derailed during the process.

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Sikkim Mahananda Express derailment: Crew suspended

The Prayagraj Division, to which the train crew belongs, suspended the loco pilot and assistant loco pilot following the incident. The deputy crew controller and chief loco inspector were also suspended over allegations that the crew had been deployed without completing the required route learning.

Deploying a crew without adequate route learning is a violation of railway rules. The issue had also been highlighted by the Railway Board just two weeks before the derailment.

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In a written communication dated August 24, 2026, the Railway Board warned all railway zones about the importance of route learning after a loco pilot in the Asansol Division overshot a red signal while operating without completing the required route learning.

"Booking of crew with due route learning is important. Strict action needs to be taken for this violation," the Railway Board said in its communication.

What railway records show about route learning

According to railway records, the loco pilot last operated a train on the Prayagraj-Patna route on December 16, 2025. He was subsequently deployed on other routes.

Under railway norms, a loco pilot who has not operated a particular route for six months to two years is required to undertake two route-learning trips before being deployed regularly on that route.

Records show that the Sikkim Mahananda Express loco pilot undertook one route-learning trip on July 1, 2026, accompanied by another regular loco pilot familiar with the route.

However, he was deployed as a regular loco pilot on the route from July 14, 2026, despite reportedly needing to complete another route-learning trip.

Crew Management System allegedly bypassed

The records also indicate that the Prayagraj Division allegedly manually manipulated the Crew Management System while booking the loco pilot.

The system has an inbuilt mechanism intended to prevent the deployment of crew members who have not completed the required route learning.

A railway safety official explained why route knowledge is considered critical for loco pilots.

"The route involves every minute detail such as curves, gradients, signal distance, different types of signal aspects, among others. So the consequence of incomplete route learning can be dangerous, and that's why the Board has made it a mandatory provision," the official said.

Prayagraj officials dispute route-learning link

Senior officials of the Prayagraj Division sought to play down the route-learning violation, pointing out that the loco pilot had completed several trips on the route after being deployed.

"On September 7, while returning from the trip, he overshot the red signal and, while trying to drive the train back to its original position, it derailed. It has nothing to do with route-learning exercises," a senior official from the Prayagraj Division said.

The official added that the incident occurred under the East Central Railway Zone, which investigated the case.

"Since the incident took place under the East Central Railway Zone, it investigated the case, and due action will be taken," he added.

Safety officials call violation serious

Safety officials, however, said the route-learning lapse should be treated seriously, even if it is not directly established as the cause of the derailment.

"Even if insufficient route learning might not have a direct correlation with the derailment, it is still a violation of norms that has come to light during the investigation and should be viewed very seriously," a safety official said.

The official also called for action against officials responsible for deploying the crew without completing the required route learning.

"The Railway administration should take stringent action not only against the loco pilot but also against those senior officials who deployed him on the route. They risked the lives of passengers. Senior officials, being in a dominating position, often force loco pilots to bypass the rules. Unless they are severely punished, safety will not improve in the Railways," the official said.


Inputs from PTI