Railway safety framework

 Another fatal train accident on Thursday in Uttar Pradesh involving a Dibrugarh-bound train has set off the alarm bell on inadequate railway safety measures. Recurring train accidents have shaped the public perception that railway safety upgrades have been overlooked in the rush for the introduction of high-speed, modern passenger trains with glossy, world-class services. The provisional findings of a probe by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) into the June 17 fatal collision between Agartala-Kanchanjungha Express and a goods train pointing towards “multiple lapses in managing train operation” show that there is a real basis for prioritising safety over a sophisticated train push to prevent loss of life. Apart from claiming lives and injuring passengers, fatal train accidents have cascading effects of cancellation, rescheduling multiple trains, disrupting the normal running of trains, and causing huge damage to railway assets. The CRS report describing it as an “accident-in-waiting” corroborates the apprehension of the general public over the safe running of trains. A statutory probe by the CRS is a must in every accident involving a passenger train that results in loss of life or causes grievous injury to passengers. Apart from ascertaining the causes of accidents, the CRS probe also investigates whether prompt and adequate measures were taken by the railway administration in providing first-aid, rescue, and medical treatment to passengers and the arrangement of alternative trains and transshipment for the completion of the journey to their destinations. The CRS also makes a set of recommendations, the implementation of which is vital for preventing the recurrence of such accidents, improving signalling standards and protocols, and improving maintenance for safer train running. The Annual Report of the Commission of Railway Safety for the year 2022–23 brought to light cold facts about action taken by the Ministry of Railway on probe reports by CRS. It states that “there is generally a delay in the communication of the ATR (Action Taken Report) by the Ministry of Railways on the recommendations made by CRS in their inquiry report.” The report cited the instance of the ATR on the oldest accident of 2013–14 submitted to the Railway Board in December 2014 by the CRS, which is still pending until the publication of the annual report. The Railway Ministry was quoted as attributing the delay to the administration or implementation of the provisions connected with the safety of train operations, requiring deliberation at various levels. The argument by the Railway Ministry is indicative of the slow pace of implementation of recommendations for improving railway safety. Removing this administrative gap is critical to preventing recurrence, but impediments such as the non-availability of adequate funds and technological challenges in expediting a policy or administrative decision also must be considered before rushing to a conclusion. The effectiveness of Kavach, the indigenous automatic train protection system introduced in the country by Indian Railways on its network, has already been proven in preventing collisions. However, because of the high cost involved in its installation and its low manufacturing capacity, it could only install 1,500 km of the total 68,000 km-long railway network. The annual report of CRS also highlighted that derailment accounted for 75% of the train accidents in 2022–23, while accidents due to collisions accounted for 12.5% of fatal accidents, which have also been the trends so far. Thursday’s accident on the Dibrugarh Express was also caused by the derailment of its coaches. The Comptroller and Auditor General conducted a performance audit in 2021 of ‘Derailments in Indian Railways’ for the period 2017–18 to 2020–21 to ascertain whether measures to prevent derailments and collisions were clearly laid down and implemented by the Ministry of Railways. The CAG report revealed that there were shortfalls in automated inspections by track recording cars required to assess the geometrical and structural conditions of railway tracks. Other key findings were: The major factor responsible for derailment was related to’maintenance of track’ followed by ‘deviation of track parameters beyond permissible limits.’ Besides, defects in ‘wheel diameter variation, defects in coaches and wagons, and ‘bad driving or overspeeding’ were also major factors in derailments. The automated inspection of tracks with the help of track recording cars can bring to the attention of authorities concerned the defects in tracks, which, if left unaddressed, may cause potential derailment. Safety measures, therefore, need to focus on improved track maintenance in addition to collision prevention. The railway safety framework should clearly lay out the goals under various safety measures and not be overshadowed by either Kavach installation or track maintenance. The pragmatic approach is to utilise all available resources and technologies optimally and judiciously, with zero tolerance for any deficiencies in strict adherence to safety protocols. Preventing recurrence needs to be the primary objective, even while acknowledging the deficit in resources and technology access. It is hoped that allocations towards railway safety will get priority in the Union Budget to be presented on July 23. Increased allocations for Kavach installations and overall track maintenance are the need of the hour.