Hydrant pipe mishap halts train at Samastipur railway station

Patna: The Sa

mastipur railway administration under the East Central Railway (ECR) has taken stern action against a private contractor and a senior section engineer following an incident involving damage to railway property and a potential safety risk.The incident occurred at around 10.54pm on Monday at platform number 3, when a hydrant pipe being installed got stuck with a coach of the Jaynagar-Howrah Express (13032) as the train entered the platform. The pipe was dragged for nearly 140 metres along the platform.Samastipur divisional railway manager Jyoti Prakash Mishra said the incident caused damage to platform floor tiles as well as to one coach of the train.

“The train was immediately stopped and the hydrant pipe was freed by cutting it with a gas cutter to prevent further damage and ensure safety,” he said.Emphasising accountability, Mishra added, “No negligence to passenger safety will be tolerated, and there will be no compromise on safety issues in the division.”Sources said the Jaynagar-Howrah Express was detained for nearly 90 minutes, causing inconvenience to passengers.

Taking serious note of the lapse, the railways imposed a heavy penalty on the contractor responsible for the hydrant pipe installation work. A memo was also issued to the railway section engineer, seeking an explanation as to why disciplinary action should not be initiated for negligence.In the aftermath of the incident, the Samastipur division ordered a comprehensive safety audit of hydrant points and related facilities at all stations under its jurisdiction. Officials said passenger safety and protection of railway infrastructure would remain top priorities, and any negligence would be dealt with strictly.