NT News Service
Margao Sept 25: One person was killed and two others injured when a overspeeding coach of the Konkan Railway Corporation�s skybus grazed against a pillar during a routine trial test run here this evening resulting in a major setback to the project.
Fifteen Kadamba Transport Corporation employees boarded the skybus at about 4 p.m. After proceeding one kilometre at a normal speed, it returned at a higher speed.
On account of the unexpected high speed, the technical engineers onboard the skybus immediately applied the emergency brake. Due to which there were heavy jerks, which made the skybus dash against the twelfth pillar.
Thereafter, it hit against the tenth pillar, where the technical engineer, T Babu (33), a resident from Tamil Nadu, was flung out from the skybus and later succumbed to his injuries. The skybus still moved further and after dashing against the eighth pillar, arrived at a stationary position.
The other seriously injured employees, Mr Ramchandra Murthy, Ms Lakshmi Narayan and Mr Ramkrishnan, who were trapped in the damaged skybus coach were rescued with the help of emergency ladder and immediately rushed to a nearby hospital. Mr Hanumant Rao, Mr Singh Deo and Mr Narendra Singh received minor injuries.
Although much damage was not caused to the pillars which were hit by the skybus, the two coaches were badly damaged in the bargain and a couple of its parts were seen scattered around the place.
All others present in the skybus were immediately evacuated and are safe.
�The accident most likely occurred because the skybus was heading at a higher speed than it should have. Also it oscillated to a higher degree than we had expected,� the corporation�s managing director, Mr B Rajaram said.
�Had the doors of the coach been interlocked, specially when it was travelling at a high speed, then the danger of somebody falling off the skybus was much less,� he said further.
With the unexpected mishap, Mr Rajaram said he was sad because a life was lost. �When trials and tests are conducted, anything can happen. Accidents are always there, but its probability has to be reduced,� he added.
Considering the mishap, Mr Rajaram said that better systems would be introduced. He said that the existing systems would be replaced with steel systems and interlocks would be introduced.
Replying to another query, the KRC managing director said the main structure of the skybus had not collapsed. �Only the doors have fallen apart, the windows have crashed and we have ordered an inquiry into the mishap,� he stated.
Mr Rajaram said he would personally conduct an inquiry into the matter.
With regard to the inaugural ceremony of the skybus scheduled on October 15, Mr Rajaram said that it was difficult to comment on it at such a crucial period.
The first public trial was conducted over a 1 km stretch here on September 15 and Mr Rajaram at the time had assured that a trial of 1.6 km required for safety certification would be completed by September 30. The project is to be dedicated to the nation on October 15 by the Railway Minister, Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav.
The skybus metro runs suspended from tracks at a minimum height of 5.5 metre above ground-level and at the public trial its engineers had touted it to be one of the safest modes of transportation.
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