An interlocking system is a railway signalling system that prevents trains from colliding by ensuring that only one train can be on a section of track at a time. The system works by mechanically or electronically interlocking the points and signals at a railway station so that they cannot be set in a way that would allow two trains to occupy the same section of track.
Body
In the body of the answer write the components of the Interlocking system and the causes of the recent Odisha Train Accident
The components of an interlocking system include:
Points: Points are movable sections of the track that allow trains to change direction.
Signals: Signals indicate to the driver of a train whether it is safe to proceed.
Interlocking machine: The interlocking machine is the central controller of the interlocking system. It receives input from the points and signals and uses this information to ensure that they are set in a safe configuration.
The recent Odisha train accident was caused by a failure of the interlocking system.
A signal maintainer at the Bahanaga Bazar station bypassed the interlocking system and manually set a signal to green, allowing the Coromandel Express to proceed onto a section of track that was already occupied by a stationary goods train.
The two trains collided, resulting in the deaths of 275 people and injuries to more than 1,000 others.
The accident has highlighted the importance of the interlocking system in preventing train collisions.
The Indian Railways has announced that it will be reviewing the interlocking system at all of its stations and taking steps to improve safety.
Conclusion
Your conclusions should be balanced, simple and short. It weighs more if you suggest a possible solution to it.
Here are some of the steps that the Indian Railways can take to improve the safety of its interlocking system:
Conduct regular inspections of the interlocking system to ensure that it is in good working order.
Implement a system of double-checks to ensure that signals are not set incorrectly.
Train signal maintainers in the proper use of the interlocking system.
Implement a system of penalties for signal maintainers who bypass the interlocking system.
By taking these steps, the Indian Railways can help to prevent future train accidents.
