New Delhi: A near-collision between a passenger train and a freight train on December 29, 2025, near Khurja City station in Uttar Pradesh has exposed serious safety lapses by railway staff, experts say.

The incident occurred on a single-line section, where only one train can operate at a time. Rinku Tomar, the on-duty station master, allowed a freight train to enter the section before his shift ended. The incoming station master, Ranveer Singh, unaware of the train, asked a signal maintainer to manually change the signal from red to green so that a passenger train could depart. Both trains were stopped 433 metres apart, averting a collision.

A preliminary probe found that both station masters and the signal maintainer failed to follow safety rules, including proper handover procedures and entries in the Train Signal Register.

Safety experts highlighted systemic issues, including rising vacancies, staff stress, and pressure to maintain train punctuality, which encourage shortcut practices. Virendra Kumar Paliwal, a retired station master, said the second station master had been forced to cut short his leave, reflecting the growing strain on railway personnel.

Following the incident, the Moradabad divisional railway manager was transferred, and the staff involved underwent training after brief suspensions. Officials stressed that such lapses underline the critical need for strict adherence to operational safety guidelines to prevent potential disasters.