Why in news
The Lucknow-Mumbai Pushpak Express accident in Maharashtra killed 12 and injured at least 10 people.
The incident was triggered by panic and confusion among passengers.
Eyewitnesses suggest rumors of a fire led to passengers pulling the alarm chain, causing the train to stop.
This prompted passengers to deboard the train near Pachora station, where they were hit by an oncoming train, the Karnataka Express.
Safety Concerns
The incident may have been caused by a “hot axle” or “brake binding,” which causes sparks and smoke, misleading passengers into thinking there was a fire.
Brake binding is a result of poor maintenance.
The railway system’s safety measures, such as the auto doors used in higher-end trains like Vande Bharat and Rajdhani, could be implemented in regular trains to prevent passengers from exiting during unsafe situations.
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