RAIL ACCIDENTS

The Indian Railways is one of the largest railway networks in the world, with millions of
people relying on it for transportation every day. Statistics show that over the last two
decades, the number of derailments which constitute the majority of accidents has drastically
declined from around 350 per year around the turn of the millennium, to 22 in 2021-22.
However, accidents like the one that occurred at Bahanaga Bazar railway station at Balasore
highlight the need for better safety measures and infrastructure. The loss of so many lives is a
tragic reminder of the importance of ensuring that the railways are safe for everyone who
uses them.
In response to this incident, there have been calls for accountability from those in charge of
the Railways, as well as a need to address the systemic issues that may have contributed to
the accident. Experts are offering suggestions on how to prevent similar incidents from
happening in the future, such as improving signalling systems and investing in better
technology.
Furthermore, there have been comparisons made with Railway systems abroad, highlighting
the need for India to improve its infrastructure and safety measures to match those of other
countries. Overall, this incident has brought attention to the importance of ensuring that the
Indian Railways are safe and reliable for everyone who uses them.
What are the Primary Reasons behind Railway Accidents?
1. Infrastructure Defects: The railway infrastructure, which includes tracks, bridges,
overhead wires, and rolling stock, is often defective due to poor maintenance, ageing,
vandalism, sabotage, or natural disasters.
- Much of the infrastructure was built in the 19th and 20th centuries and has not
been upgraded to meet the growing demand and modern standards.
- The railway system also suffers from a lack of funds, corruption, and inefficiency,
which hamper its development and maintenance.
- Moreover, many routes are operating at over 100% capacity, which increases the
risk of accidents due to congestion and overloading.
2.Human Errors: The railway staff, who are responsible for operating, maintaining, and
managing the trains and tracks, are prone to human errors due to fatigue, negligence,
corruption, or disregard for safety rules and procedures.
- Human errors can result in wrong signalling, miscommunication, over speeding, or
overlooking defects or hazards.
- The railway staff also lack adequate training and communication skills, which
affect their performance and coordination.
3.Signalling Failures: The signalling system, which controls the movement and direction
of trains on the tracks, can fail due to technical glitches, power outages, or human errors.
- Signalling failures can lead to trains running on the wrong track, colliding with
other trains or stationary objects, or overshooting stations.
- For example, the recent train accident in Odisha was reportedly caused by a
change in electronic interlocking that was not communicated properly to the
drivers.
4.Unmanned level crossings (UMLCs): UMLCs are places where railway tracks
crossroads without any barriers or signals to regulate traffic.
- UMLCs pose a high risk of accidents as vehicles or pedestrians may not notice the
approaching train or may try to cross the track when the train is near.
(In 2018-19, UMLCs accounted for 16% of all train accidents in India.)
 - The railways have eliminated all the unmanned level crossings (UMLCs) on broad
gauge routes, but there are still many manned level crossings (MLCs) that pose a
risk of accidents.

Impacts of major rail accidents:

i. Increased safety regulations: After major rail accidents, governments often
introduce new safety regulations in an effort to prevent similar accidents from
happening again. These regulations can include things like requiring trains to be fitted
with new safety equipment, or requiring railway operators to adopt new safety
procedures.
ii. Reduced public confidence: Major rail accidents can damage public confidence in
the railway industry. This can lead to a decline in passenger numbers, as people
become afraid to travel by train.
iii. Increased financial costs: Major rail accidents can be very costly for the railway
industry. This is because they can result in damage to infrastructure, equipment, and
rolling stock. They can also lead to claims for compensation from passengers and
their families.
iv. Increased negative publicity: Major rail accidents can generate a lot of negative
publicity for the railway industry. This can damage the industry’s reputation and make
it more difficult to attract customers and investors.
v. Social effect: There is loss of life. The injured people may not be able to lead a
normal life easily thereafter. Also, the destruction of belongings leads to financial loss
to the passengers.
vi. Environmental effect: Crude oil and other chemicals spilled during accident from
the train can cause soil pollution. If such hazardous chemical get mixed in rivers or
streams it can lead to water pollution.
vii. Administrative and management effect: Transport system collapses, the railways
are forced to reinstate the system at the earliest which stresses the workers.
viii. Political effect: People lose their trust on the existing government, affecting
the ruling political party.
ix. Health effect: Injuries, emotional or psychological stress, deaths, etc.
What has Railways Done to Reduce Accidents so far?
Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK): A safety fund for critical assets. It was
established in 2017-18 with a corpus of Rs 1 lakh crore over a period of five years for critical
safety related works such as track renewals, signalling projects, bridge rehabilitation, etc.
Technological Upgradation: Improved design and features of coaches and wagons. This
includes introducing Modified Centre Buffer Couplers, Bogie Mounted Air Brake System
(BMBS), improved suspension design and provision of Automatic fire & smoke detection
system in coaches. It also includes installing KAVACH – an indigenously developed
Automatic Train Protection (ATP).
LHB Design Coaches: Lighter and safer coaches for Mail/Express trains. These coaches are
based on German technology and have better anti-climbing features, fire retardant materials,
higher speed potential and longer service life than conventional ICF design coaches.
GPS based Fog Pass Device: A device to help loco pilots navigate in foggy conditions. It is a
GPS enabled hand-held device that displays the exact distance of the approaching landmarks
such as signals, level crossing gates, etc. It also alerts the loco pilot with a loud buzzer when
the train approaches a signal or a level crossing gate.
Modern Track Structure: Stronger and more durable tracks and bridges. This includes using
Pre-stressed Concrete Sleeper (PSC), higher Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) rails, fan
shaped layout turnout on PSC sleepers, Steel Channel Sleepers on girder bridges, etc.
Ultrasonic Flaw Detection (USFD): A technique to detect and remove faulty rails. It is a
non-destructive testing method that uses high frequency sound waves to inspect the rails for
cracks, defects or flaws that may cause derailments or accidents. The defective rails are then
removed and replaced with new ones.
Mechanization of Track Maintenance: A system to automate and optimize track
maintenance. This includes using machines such as track tamping machines, ballast
regulating machines, dynamic track stabilizers, etc to carry out track maintenance activities
such as tamping, dressing, stabilizing, etc. This reduces human errors and improves track
quality and safety.
Interlocking System: A system to control points and signals centrally. It is a system that uses
electrical or electronic devices to operate the points and signals from a central location. It
eliminates the need for manual operation of points and signals by staff on the ground. It also
reduces the chances of human failure and enhances safety.
Elimination of Unmanned Level Crossings (UMLCs): UMLCs are being eliminated
progressively by closing, merging, manning, or providing subways/road under bridges/road
over bridges.

What should be Done More to Enhance Safety in India?

Invest More in Safety-Related Works: Allocate more funds for track renewal, bridge repair,
signalling upgrade, coach refurbishment, etc.
Train Employees to Minimize Human Errors: Provide regular and comprehensive training
to the railway staff on the latest technologies, equipment, systems, safety rules and
procedures.
Eliminate Level Crossings: Construct Road overbridges (ROBs) or road underbridges
(RUBs) to replace the unmanned and manned level crossings.
Adopt advanced technologies: Install anti-collision devices (ACDs) such as Kavach/ Train
Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), Train Protection Warning System (TPWS), Automatic
Train Control (ATC), etc.
The railways are in the process of installing these technologies on some sections of tracks,
but they need to be expanded to cover the entire network.
Introduce Performance-Linked Incentives: Reward the railway staff based on their
performance and compliance with the safety rules and procedures.
Outsource Non-Core Work: Transfer the non-core activities such as maintaining hospitals,
colleges etc to private or public sector entities, which can improve efficiency and reduce
costs.
Create A Statutory Railway Safety Authority: Set up a railway safety authority as a
statutory body with powers to frame safety standards, conduct safety audits and inspections,
enforce accountability and penalties for lapses, and investigate accidents.
Conduct Regular Safety Audits and Inspections: Monitor, evaluate and audit the safety
performance of the railway staff, infrastructure and equipment, and enforce strict
accountability and penalties for lapses.
Enhance Coordination and Communication: Improve the communication and coordination
among the railway board, zonal railways, divisions, production units, research organisations,
etc., which are involved in railway operations.
Establish a Confidential Incident Reporting and Analysis System (CIRAS): It was
developed by a British University; a similar mechanism should be implemented that
encourages lower-level staff to report deviations in real-time while maintaining
confidentiality.
This system should be supported by the necessary communication and information
technology infrastructure, making it accessible and user-friendly for all staff members.
Simultaneously, transform the management mindset from a fault-finding and punishment-
oriented approach to one that emphasizes shared commitment to safety, focusing on
correction rather than punishment and actively listening to the voices of staff at all levels.
In matters of railway safety, there has to be an attitudinal change — from the conventional
approach of fault-finding and punishment to one of shared commitment to ensure complete
safety at all levels.
Rethink Indian Railways Management Service (IRMS) Scheme: Conduct a thorough
evaluation of the IRMS scheme and its impact on loyalty, ownership, and safety management.
Consider revising or modifying the scheme to preserve a sense of specialization and loyalty
towards specific disciplines or departments, promoting a stronger commitment to safety.