Jan Shatabdi mishap averted: Station Master admits to mistakenly sending train on unsafe track amid workload

New Delhi | Days after a Delhi-bound Jan Shatabdi Express had a narrow escape after it was diverted onto an under-repair track, the station master of Hodal, under the Agra Rail Division, has admitted in writing before a preliminary probe panel that he had mistakenly sent the train on the unsafe loop line while performing many tasks simultaneously.

The Kota–Hazrat Nizamuddin train was erroneously routed onto the loop line that was undergoing major maintenance on August 26, 2025, at around 11:20 AM when it was heading towards Delhi.

The loco pilot stopped the train by applying the emergency brake after being alerted by a gangman waving a red banner. Soon after the incident, the Agra Rail Division suspended the Station Master and a Section Controller for alleged dereliction of duties.

A preliminary probe by four railway officials concluded that the Section Controller, Upendra Yadav, had instructed the station master (SM) to divert the train onto the loop line after a train ticket examiner informed the Controller about an ailing passenger and requested a stop to provide medical assistance.

The probe said that the SM, busy calling an ambulance amid other responsibilities, forgot that the loop line was already under major maintenance and set the point and signal for the loop line.

The Station Master, Satveer, in his statement to the probe panel, said that while operating the Visual Display Unit - a computer-based system to view the real time status of yard as well as control and monitor the track Interlocking - he gave a traffic block (closure for train movement) between 10:45 AM to 1:45 PM to the engineering department to repair the loop line track.

He stated that the train 12059 Jan Shatabdi entered the Hodal section from Kosi at 10:53 AM and the section controller, who himself was aware that the loop line was under maintenance, informed him that since a patient was inside the train, he should divert it on the loop line and call an ambulance for medical assistance.

According to Satveer, while managing other trains and calling an ambulance, he forgot about the repair work and allowed the train to enter the loop line. “Forgive me for this human error committed by me,” Satveer said in his statement.

The probe panel has recorded that the train was reversed between 11:19 AM and 11:21 AM and it started for its destination at 11:23 AM.

“SM (station master) involved in chasing an ambulance in addition to other trains working on VDU. Meanwhile, he missed the engineering block in the DN loop line. He unblocked the blocked track of DN loop line on VDU and lowered the signal for the reception of DN train 12059 in DN loop line,” the probe panel observed.

Officials said that the alert raised by the gangman and the timely application of the emergency brake by the loco pilot averted a major accident and saved many lives.

Since Jan Shatabdi was reversed to bring it back to run on the main line, several prominent trains coming behind it were halted for more than half an hour.