On 17.06.2015, at about 0600 hours in the morning a fire broke out in the Route Relay Interlocking (RRI) room at Itarsi Railway Junction in Madhya Pradesh. The fire was extinguished by use of Fire Tenders by 0900 hours. Inspection of the Signalling Relay Room, after the fire was extinguished, has indicated extensive damage to Operation Panel, Indication Panel and all wiring. A considerable number of relays have also been badly damaged.
Signalling Relay Room system is a system by which all the signals and the points/crossings which are used for changing of routes at junction station are operated centrally from a cabin through electrical devices. As a result, complete train operation at Itarsi Station has been disrupted leading to severe detention to trains passing across Itarsi Station.
Itarsi Station is the critical junction station on Bombay-Bhopal, Bhopal-Nagpur and Bombay-Jabalpur-Allahabad route. This junction station deals with about 75 pairs of Mail/Express passenger trains every day and about 25 goods trains each way.
Divisional Officers have already reached site and General Manager of the Railway is also proceeding. Member Traffic/Railway Board, along with senior signalling, and Operating officials are also proceeding for site.
Whereas full extent of the damage is being assessed, detentions to trains would take place as all the operations are now being done manually instead of through electrical devices. The trains on the section are being cleared one-by-one. Certain number of trains have been diverted through alternate routes and certain trains may have to be cancelled for next one or two days. Passengers are being advised to check status of trains before start of the journey. Refunds are being arranged for passengers of cancelled/diverted trains.