Mysuru-Darbhanga Categorical rammed a stationary items practice on October 11
Railway accidents have been within the headlines this 12 months. In yet one more sign failure accident, the Mysuru-Darbhanga Categorical rammed a stationary items practice at Kavarapettai within the Chennai Division of Southern Railway on October 11 evening. Greater than two dozen folks have been injured. Two items trains derailed in September — one in Mathura, one other in Jharkhand. The Howrah-Mumbai Mail derailed following a collision with a items practice in Seraikela-Kharsawan district of Jharkhand on July 30. The Kanchanjunga Categorical travelling from Agartala to Sealdah in Kolkata on June 17 collided with a items practice close to Rangapani, near New Jalpaiguri, leading to 11 deaths. Based on experiences, in simply the primary seven months of the 12 months, there have been 19 practice derailments, leading to lack of lives and infrastructure.
Within the final 5 years, 351 folks have died and 970 injured in 200 consequential railway accidents, per knowledge of Indian Railways from its 17 railway zones. Each passenger and items trains have been concerned in these accidents, elevating points in regards to the state of rail infrastructure.
The incidents obstructed the motion of different trains within the impacted sections, forcing railways to delay or divert trains.
The Chennai practice accident is much like the 2023 Balasore practice crash, during which three trains have been concerned. The Coromandel Categorical had equally entered a loop line, struck a items practice and derailed, earlier than one other practice, the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast, crashed into it. With 296 folks useless and lots of injured, it was one of many deadliest practice accidents in India’s historical past.
Indian Railways is without doubt one of the largest and busiest rail networks on the earth, carrying lakhs of individuals and tonnes of products each day. The accidents increase a giant query on the mode of transport that crores of Indians depend on.
Outdated infra
Latest practice derailments have occurred as a result of poor observe upkeep, overcrowding, operational errors, outdated signalling techniques, climate and many others. Human errors like driver’s exhaustion and carelessness, communication faults, and inadequate coaching have additionally emerged as key causes for practice accidents. Heavy rainfall, landslides, and floods additionally pose a menace to coach security.
The overcrowding and overloading of trains have exacerbated an already important state of affairs. Overcrowded trains place further strain on the tracks and rolling inventory, making them extra vulnerable to accidents. Likewise, the overloading of products trains past their capability can result in derailments as a result of disproportionate weight and rigidity on the tracks.
“It’s a whole failure and non-adherence to strict requirements of upkeep of rolling shares, wagons and coaches by the railways,” says a railway security skilled on situation of anonymity.
Setting priorities
To cut back accidents, Indian Railways has been creating and upgrading expertise in signalling and telecommunication, with computerized signalling on 15,000 km of rail community and plans for the KAVACH – the domestically developed Practice Collision Avoidance System – to cowl 37,000 km of tracks. Nevertheless, these are nonetheless work in progress. Each the Chennai practice accident and the Kanchanjunga Categorical crash may have been averted by putting in Kavach, which is meant to realize zero accidents by stopping dashing or sign failure.
Based on specialists, deploying Kavach within the present railway networks with out disrupting practice motion makes the duty significantly difficult. “Kavach cannot save all collisions. Facet observe collisions cannot be prevented by Kavach,” a retired railways official says.
It’s a matter of concern that regardless of the rise in railways income within the Funds, the rail forms hasn’t been in a position to utilise funds aiming for zero accidents.
The railways income in 2022-23 was Rs 1.2 lakh crore, and the observe renewal spending in that 12 months was 13.5% of the income. In FY24 (Revised Estimates), the whole railway income rose to Rs 1.5 lakh crore, however spending on observe renewal dropped to 11% of the income. Within the July funds, the railways income was deliberate at Rs 1.8 lakh crore in FY25 (Funds Estimates), and the observe renewal spending was at 9.7% of this income.
“Capability augmentation hasn’t helped. It has saturated the prevailing community to breaking level. The upkeep window is even much less, with Vande Bharat trains too operating on the identical observe,” stated the previous bureaucrat.
The Railways Board, which oversees rail providers in India, runs the entire infrastructure. India’s railway community is recognised as one of many largest on the earth below a single administration.
“Accountability must be fastened on the highest degree of railway forms. There isn’t any railway security regulator for day-to-day upkeep besides the Fee of Railway Security, whose function is restricted to holding accident inquiries,” says a rail security skilled.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s fixed chorus that the determine of 171 accidents per 12 months has come all the way down to 40 accidents in 10 years is hardly reassuring to passengers nervous about their security.
Crores is being spent in changing or repairing outdated railroads, getting new trains, and tackling 1000’s of unattended railroad crossings. Nevertheless, there’s way more work to be completed.