Islamabad: Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique today has said that the Chanawan bridge track was fine and the train derailed, due to high speed.
Rafique said that the joint investigation team (JIT), is working above all external pressures. He said that the authorities are trying to find out the reason, behind train’s unnecessary high speed. The minister said that the condition of railway track was fine.
He said that the team is finding out whether there was a mechanical fault in engine or not. The engine of ill-fated train was made part of the Pakistan Railways in 1967, he added. He also said that only 50 bridges await renovation out of a mega total of 13,959. Rafique said that failing to apply brakes at stop red is a crime.
He said that the train did not stop at the registered pad, before it met accident. It is yet to be found out whether train derailed due to fish plates or high speed, he added. The minister said that the JIT recorded statement of an army official.
He confirmed that no initial report of the accident has been prepared, while some people are trying to declare the Chanawa Bridge not fit for railway operations. "The railway bridge was completely fit for daily operations, while engineers have confirmed that there was no speed limit for the railway track," Rafiq said.
He said that a pillar of the bridge is affected due to the accident. "We have found evidence of derailing of the train's engine around 945 feet away from the bridge," Federal Railway Minister said.
Investigation team is also analyzing any possibility of fault in the engine, he added.