Railway Safety in India: Lapses & Key Recommendations

• Indian Railways, one of the world’s largest railway networks, is often referred to as the “lifeline of the nation.” It transports over 2.4 crore passengers daily and carries freight essential to the Indian economy. However, its direction in recent years reveals a concerning trend—a shift towards glamorous projects like bullet trains & Vande Bharat Express, often at the expense of critical safety and infrastructure issues.

Persistent Safety Lapses in Indian Railways

Structural Challenges in Ensuring Railway Safety

• Chronic Underfunding of Safety: Safety works funded via the Depreciation Reserve Fund (DRF), Railway Safety Fund (RSF), and Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK) face chronic shortfalls.
  • For instance, RRSK allocation for 2025–26 is just ₹2,000 crore against the ₹20,000 crore needed annually, while DRF remains underutilised due to poor allocations.
• Slow Deployment of Kavach (ATP System): Despite proven success in collision prevention, Kavach covers only 3,677 RKm out of 68,000 RKm, and at the current pace, full rollout may take over 50 years.
• Workforce Shortage: Over 2.74 lakh vacancies, including 1.7 lakh in safety-critical roles like signaling and track maintenance, cause fatigue, long shifts, and increased human errors.
• Diversion of Funds: As per CAG (2022), safety funds were misused for non-core items like foot massagers and gadgets, indicating poor accountability and misplaced priorities.

Mismatch Between Development and Demand

• Lopsided Investment: Since 1950, track expansion increased by only 23%, while passenger traffic surged by 1,344%.
  • The proportion of AC coaches rose from 23% in 2005 to 46% in 2022, whereas that of sleeper coaches decreased from 77% to 54%, indicating a shift towards elite comfort over common needs.
• Overcrowding Crisis: General coaches intended for 90 passengers often accommodate 180, worsened by the post-COVID withdrawal of Jan Sadharan trains and the reduction of sleeper & general coaches.
• Train Delays and Cancellations: One lakh trains have been cancelled over five years because of inadequate infrastructure, insufficient maintenance, & arbitrary scheduling, leading to public inconvenience.
• Illusion of Speed: Vande Bharat averages 83 km/h, even though it was designed for 130 km/h. Of 478 ‘superfast’ trains, 123 operate below 55 km/h, which fails to meet their own classification standard.

Key Government Initiatives to Improve Railway Safety

1. KAVACH (2024 Expansion): Indigenous Automatic Train Protection system installed on 1,465 route km; BEL and L&T roped in for rapid scaling.
2. Mission Zero Accident: Focus on eliminating unmanned level crossings and installing a Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) on high-density routes.
3. Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK): ₹1 lakh crore fund for five years (since 2017) used for critical safety asset renewal and upgrades.
4. Real-Time Train Tracking (RTIS-ISRO): Satellite-based tracking for faster communication and monitoring, reducing accident response time.
5. AI-Based Fatigue Monitoring: Cameras and sensors in locomotives to detect pilot drowsiness or distraction deployed across multiple zones.
6. Fire Safety Enhancements: Smoke detection, auto fire extinguishers in LHB coaches, and fire suppression systems in pantry cars.
7. Track Renewal & Maintenance: Over 3,000 km of tracks renewed in 2023–24 using ultrasonic testing and predictive maintenance.
8. Elimination of Unmanned Crossings: 100% elimination achieved on broad gauge routes by 2023 to reduce vehicle-train collisions.
9. Modern Yard Safety Systems: Smart inspection technologies, AI cameras, and IoT sensors are installed in major railway yards and depots.
10. National Rail Plan 2030: Long-term vision for a safe, efficient, and future-ready railway system integrating speed and safety.

Way Forward: Prioritising Safety and Equity in Railways

• Enhance Safety Fund Allocations: Significantly raise budgetary support to RRSK and DRF to ensure sustained safety upgrades and timely replacement of ageing infrastructure.
• Fast-Track Kavach Deployment: Expand Kavach coverage with a 2035 deadline to enable automatic train protection and drastically reduce collision risks.
• Urgent Recruitment for Safety-Critical Posts: Fill 1.7 lakh safety-related vacancies to reduce overburdening, human errors, and maintenance backlogs.
• Restore General and Sleeper Coaches: Reinstate Jan Sadharan trains and affordable coaches to tackle overcrowding and ensure inclusive mobility.
• Shift Focus to Core Infrastructure: Prioritise track renewal and signalling upgrades over high-speed vanity projects to improve average speeds and reduce derailments.

As PM Modi rightly said, “Speed, Scale, and Sensitivity” must guide India’s infrastructure development. However, this triad must begin with sensitivity to safety—especially in lifeline sectors like Railways.

Shift focus from prestige to performance, speed to safety, and profit to people. A human-centric, safety-first strategy supported by adequate funding, strong infrastructure, and a skilled workforce can transform Indian Railways into a symbol of trust, efficiency, and inclusive growth.

Reference: The Print  | PMFIAS: India’s Railway Sector

PMF IAS Pathfinder for Mains – Question 145

Q. “Speed must not come at the expense of safety, nor should prestigious projects overshadow public needs.” In light of this statement, critically examine the shifting priorities of Indian Railways. (250 Words) (15 Marks)

Approach

• Introduction: Start by highlighting the role of Indian Railways in national development and the growing conflict between high-speed ambitions and safety needs.
• Body: Critically examine the shifting priorities: safety lapses, elite focus (Vande Bharat), erosion of affordability, and staffing shortages.
• Conclusion: Write a way forward and emphasise the need to shift from vanity-driven projects to a reliable, inclusive, and safe railway system.