Level crossing gatekeeper falls asleep, fails to give stop signal
- Bhubaneswar: A gatekeeper deployed at Jugpura station in Mayurbhanj district fell asleep and failed to give signal to a passenger train passing through the level crossing (LC) gate at the station.
- The train passed only after the engine driver suspecting that something was amiss, stopped the train around 50 meters from the LC and went to the gate operator's cabin, only to find him asleep. The incident took place on Tuesday, but the news became viral on social media on Thursday. The engine driver noticed movement of people and vehicles on the track at the LC gate and there was no signal from the cabin though the train was nearing the LC.
- The engine driver immediately shut the gate and gave the signal to his driver colleague to pass. The MEMU train coming from Rupsa passed the LC gate and went towards Bari pada station. The engine driver's action helped evade a major accident.
- "After crossing Jugpura station, the train was running slow before halting near the LC gate. Its speed helped the train to stop," said a local of Jugpura.
- After this incident, Southeastern Railway (SER) suspended gatekeeper Ratnakar Mohanta for his negligence and dereliction of duty. "We have ordered an investigation into the matter," said a senior railway officer of SER.
- At 7:30 am on January 19, 2019, Tapaswini Express crossed the LC gate at Siddha Mahavir, Puri, while its gates were open. A video clip capturing the moment had gone viral on social media. The ECOR had taken action against two of its employees for negligence in duty.