A major train accident was narrowly avoided on Sunday evening at Soro railway station when the Howrah–Bhubaneswar Jan Shatabdi Express and the Howrah–Puri Shatabdi Express came dangerously close to a head-on collision due to a signal conflict.
The Jan Shatabdi Express, scheduled to depart Soro station at 5:46 PM, was halted just in time after its signal turned red. Simultaneously, the Howrah–Puri Shatabdi Express was approaching the same station perimeter despite its designated track not being cleared. The alertness of the train driver and swift action by railway officials prevented a potential disaster.
Passengers at the station panicked, though most onboard the trains remained unaware of the near miss. Following the incident, the locomotive pilot, assistant pilot, and guard of the Shatabdi Express were removed from duty pending investigation. Senior railway officials have launched a probe to determine whether human error or procedural lapses led to the signal confusion.
Railway authorities confirmed that no passengers were harmed and that train operations resumed smoothly after the situation was brought under control. Strict action is expected following the inquiry’s findings.
