Bhubaneswar: Railway Board chairman Ashwani Lohani said Saturday night's mishap where Saturday night's incident in which the Ahmedabad-Puri Express travelled 15km without an engine for 20 minutes was an isolated case that happened because of staff neglicence.

In a statement issued on Monday, Lohani regretted the incident.

"While the staff members concerned have been suspended and a high-level inquiry ordered, the (Indian) Railways remains committed to ensuring highest levels of safety in train operations. We have also ordered a one-month long drive over the entire network for sensitising the staff regarding the precautions to be taken to prevent such incidents," Lohani said.

He also said passenger safety, followed by passenger comfort, remained the highest priority of the railways.

"The subject of safety is continuously monitored at the highest levels in the railway board with the monitoring being done daily at the level of the chairman," the statement said.

Rail boss to visit site

The East Coast Railway's general manager will visit Titilagarh railway station on Tuesday in the aftermath of Saturday night's incident that happened when the engine of the Puri-bound train was being detached and re-attached.

Railway sources said Umesh Singh will address staff members at a seminar on safety. "It will be an open session and participants can raise safety-related issues. He will also interact with officials of Sambalpur and Rayagada railway stations where reversal of engines take place," said a railway official.

"The final report is likely to be furnished in another three to four days and action initiated against others responsible. Statement of as many as 20 employees have been recorded so far," said another railway official.

Non-application of skid brakes of the coaches is believed to have led to the mishap. The train came to a halt on encountering an uphil slope and with railway employees placing stones on the tracks to stop it.

The incident has drawn flak from passengers, who have raised fingers at the railway for putting their lives at risk.

Last August, the Mumbai-bound Lokmanya Tilak Express travelled for almost 4km on the wrong route before the guard noticed the error and got it back on the right track. The train was diverted on to the wrong route from Machapur in Cuttack district following which the stationmaster of Machapur was suspended.

The railway's chief safety officer S.S. Mishra on Monday issued a detailed safety guideline for shunting on gradients and detaching/attaching of locos. "Safety guidelines have been issued according to the direction of the Railway Board, which has decided to start a month-long drive. Concerned divisions have been asked to submit a detailed report by May 10," said a railway official.

Loot gang

Police on Sunday busted a loot racket and arrested five persons from Bhubabaneswar.