Context:
- Recently, the Sabarmati Express derailed near Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, after its engine collided with an object on the tracks.
- Over the last five fiscal years ending in FY23, India has experienced an average of 44 significant train accidents annually.
- These consequential accidents include incidents that result in injuries, fatalities, disruption of rail traffic, or damage to railway property.
- There has been one train collision approximately every 3.6 months over the last 64 months. In the 2022-23 period, the central region reported the highest share of these accidents, accounting for 17%.
- However, there has been a notable reduction in train accidents, decreasing by nearly 90% from 470 accidents in 2000-01 to just 48 in 2022-23.
Causes of Railway Accidents:
- Poor Track Maintenance and Safety Lapses: An example is the 2022 derailment of the Bikaner-Guwahati Express in West Bengal, which highlighted lapses in track upkeep.
- Negligence and Improper Train Spacing: The 2020 collision between a goods train and a passenger train in Andhra Pradesh underscores issues related to spacing and negligence.
- Inadequate Safety Measures: The absence of proper warning systems has led to accidents at level crossings, as seen in the 2016 train-bus collision in Punjab.
- Signal Failures: System malfunctions and human errors in signaling have resulted in significant accidents, such as the 2017 Kuneru derailment in Andhra Pradesh and a 2021 collision in Telangana.
- Overcrowding and Over-speeding: The 2015 stampede at Mumbai’s Elphinstone station, caused by train-related panic, highlights the dangers of overcrowding.
- Infrastructure Defects: Poor maintenance, overloaded routes, and human errors—often due to fatigue or corruption among railway staff—have been significant contributors to accidents.
Government Initiatives:
- Kavach System: The latest automatic train protection system by Indian Railways, incorporating RFID, GPS, and electronic devices to bolster safety.
- GPS-based Fog Safety Device (FSD): Provides real-time updates on signals and landmarks, aiding navigation in foggy conditions.
- Complete Track Circuiting: Ensures electrical verification of track occupancy.
- LHB Coaches: Advanced coaches designed for enhanced speed, safety, and comfort, featuring anti-climbing couplers and fire detection systems.
- Modern Track Structure: Employs stronger tracks and bridges, such as Prestressed Concrete Sleepers and higher Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) rails, for smoother operations.
- Online Track Monitoring System: A web-based platform for tracking asset conditions and making optimized maintenance decisions.
- Vigilance Control Devices: Ensures loco pilots’ alertness, minimizing accidents due to human error.
- Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh: Established in 2017-18, this fund is dedicated to reducing accidents through track renewals, signaling, and rolling stock investments.
- Fire Notices: Displayed in coaches to inform passengers about fire safety rules and regulations.
- Retro-reflective Sigma Boards: Installed to warn train crews of upcoming signals in low-visibility conditions.
- Electrical/Electronic Interlocking: Automated systems manage train movements through advanced electrical circuits and relays.
Way Forward:
- Confidential Incident Reporting System: Implement a system to allow confidential reporting of safety concerns and deviations.
- Regular Inspection and Patrolling: Continuously inspect and patrol tracks and bridges to monitor and address defects.
- Management Mindset Shift: Move from a fault-finding approach to fostering a culture of shared safety commitment and incorporating staff feedback.
- Review of Indian Railways Management Service (IRMS): Reevaluate the IRMS scheme to improve specialization and strengthen loyalty within the service.
- Modernize Infrastructure: Upgrade tracks and bridges and implement automated systems for real-time monitoring, while balancing investments in modern coaches with safety enhancements.
- Strict Regulation Enforcement: Adhere strictly to safety protocols, impose stringent penalties for non-compliance, and consider establishing an independent regulatory body to oversee safety standards.
- Elimination of Level Crossings: Replace them with Road Overbridges (ROBs) or Road Underbridges (RUBs) to improve safety.
- Adoption of Global Practices: Implement systems like the UK’s Train Protection and Warning System (TPWS) and the European Train Control System (ETCS) for automatic train halting and continuous communication.
- Introduction of ATC and CATIS: Utilize Japan’s Automatic Train Control (ATC) for speed regulation and the Comprehensive Automatic Train Inspection System (CATIS) for defect detection using sensors and cameras.
- Earthquake Early Warning Systems: Develop and integrate Earthquake Early Warning Systems (EEWS) to alert trains during seismic events, enhancing overall safety.