Negligence by engineering dept led to Mumbra mishap that claimed 5 lives: Probe

Thane: An alert by Mumbra station officials told the Thane engineering department about the slight displacement of ballast under the railway tracks along platforms 3 and 4, due to heavy rains in the previous days, which allegedly remained unresolved. This is believed to be one of the primary reasons for the June 9 early morning accident, according to an ongoing investigation by the Mumbai Railway Police.

A probe team led by S Shirsat, ACP, CSMT division, primarily found negligence on the part of the Central Railway’s engineering department for failing to act on the alert. The police on Saturday booked two senior officials, holding them responsible for the mishap that claimed five lives and injured several others after two coaches of trains running in opposite directions came dangerously close to each other at the spot towards the Diva end of the platforms at Mumbra.