Summary Railways authorities suggested installing cameras in the train to monitor the activities.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Pakistan Railways authorities today (July 24) have held the driver responsible for the recent accident of Quetta-bound Akbar Express colliding with a freight train at Walhar Railway Station near Rahim Yar Khan on July 11 and decided not to run anymore new trains owing to frequent train accidents.
According to the details, the Senate Standing Committee for Railway Affairs, presided by Chairman Asad Junejo for alarming state of increasing accidents, was briefed by the Railways authorities on the recent train accidents in which it was recommended to install CCTV cameras inside and outside of the engine to monitor the activities.
Federal Coordinator Inspector Railway Senator Mirza Muhammed Afridi revealed to the committee that the driver of the Akbar Express did not follow the red signal which led to the accident. “It looks like the drive was sleepy but the assistant driver also did not apply brakes,” he maintained.
Secretary Railway Sikandar Sultan Raja told the committee that it was decided not to run anymore new trains whereas a brief check up of old ones will be conducted to review how many of them are safe enough to function. The committee sought the driver and assistant driver’s medical and mental health report.
On July 11, approximately 24 people died in the collision between a Quetta-bound Akbar Express and a freight train at Walhar Railway Station near Rahim Yar Khan. More than 100 people sustained critical injuries in the tragic incident.
According to details, the passenger train was travelling to Quetta from Lahore when it rammed into a freight train standing at Walhar Railway Station. The impact of the collision was so immense that the passenger train’s engine and three bogies were completely destroyed.
