Twin derailments near Harda due to flood water: CRS report

Overflow of flood water causing washout of the rail embankment was the primary cause of twin rail mishaps near Harda on August 4, according to the provisional report of the Commissioner Railway Safety.
Twenty-nine passengers lost their lives and 45 injured when Kamayani Express and Janata Express were derailed near Harda in Madhya Pradesh at about 11.22 PM on August 4.
Railways had ordered an inquiry into the incident and accordingly Dinesh Kumar Singh Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), South Central Circle conducted the probe to ascertain the cause of the accident.
After carefully considering the factual, material and circumstantial evidence, CRS has provisionally come to the conclusion that the derailment of both trains was caused due to washing away of ballast and formation of soil beneath the track, according the CRS report.

The failure of railway embankment including the approaches of bridge was caused due to sudden washout of the approaches of a road Bridge on Machak River near Rolgaon village on Sirali-Masangaon district road on account of very heavy rainfall in the catchment area of Machak river upstream, the report stated.
CRS has observed that the sudden surge of water due to washout of approaches of the road bridge caused flooding and due to overflow of the flood water, the track ballast and embankment started eroding and finally the railway embankment got washed away.
According to Railway Ministry, these findings are under the consideration for taking further action to prevent such mishaps in future.