Context: In a recent Train Accident in India -two trains collided on the Howrah-Chennai line in Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh on Sunday evening.

Update on Train Accident

• About Accident: Recent mishap happened at around 7:10 PM on sunday evening in Andhra Pradesh.
• Trains Involved:
  • Visakhapatnam-Rayagada passenger special.
  • Visakhapatnam-Palasa passenger.
• Probable Cause of the Incident- Human Error: The collision appears to have occurred due to human error, as the Visakhapatnam train did not stop even when the signal was displaying red.
• Previous Rail Mishap: India witnessed a major rail disaster this year on June 2, caused by faulty connections in the automated signaling system.
  • Location: Odisha’s Bahanaga Bazar.
  • Casualties: Loss of 288 lives and left more than 1,000 people injured.
  • Unfortunate Event: Passenger train collided with a stationary freight train, derailed, and then struck another passenger train traveling in the opposite direction.

Indian Railways: Navigating Challenges and Safety in the Wake of Train Accident

• Network: Indian railways is the world’s fourth-largest railway network by route length, and the world’s largest railway network operated under a single management. 
• History: The first railway line in India was a 34-kilometre (21-mile) line between Bombay (now Mumbai) and Thane.
• Passengers and Freight: Indian Railways carries over 23 million passengers and over 3 million tons of freight every day.
• Revenue: Indian Railways has registered record revenue figures of ₹2.40 trillion for FY 2022-23.
• Heritage: The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and the Nilgiri Mountain Railway have been recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Significance of Indian Railways

Understanding Train Accident Fatalities in India: NCRB’s Data and Key Causes

• India suffered 17,993 Train accident in 2021, resulting in 16,431 deaths, according to the annual ‘Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India’ report released by National Crime Records Bureau.
• An average 23,000 people died every year between 2010 and 2021 in Train accident.
• The NCRB classifies Train accident deaths into five categories: 
  • Derailments. 
  • Collisions.
  • Explosions/fires.
  • People falling from trains or trains colliding with people on tracks. 
  • Other causes.
• Major cause of death: Majority of Train accident deaths were caused by people falling off trains or being run over by them.

Identifying Key Factors Train Accident in India: Insights from CAG’s 2022 Report

• Human error: Human error is the leading cause of train accident, accounting for over 60% of all accidents. 
  • Human error can be caused by fatigue, negligence, or lack of training. 
• Track defects: Track defects, such as broken rails, or uneven tracks etc. Track defects can be caused by poor maintenance, ageing infrastructure, or extreme weather conditions.
• Signalling Failures: Technical glitches, power outages, and human errors can cause signalling failures, leading to train accident like train collisions or overshooting stations.
• Unmanned Level Crossings (UMLCs): Unregulated railway crossings without barriers pose a high risk of train accident as vehicles and pedestrians may not notice oncoming trains.
• CAG’s 2022 Report on Safety in Indian Railway: The CAG report highlighted several shortcomings in the safety of India’s railways that include:
  • Inspection Shortfalls: Track inspections by Track Recording Cars had deficiencies of 30% to 100%. 
  • Failure to Submit Inquiry Reports: Delays and failures in submitting or accepting inquiry reports after train accident hinder learning from past mistakes.  
  • Underutilization of Railway Fund: The dedicated railway fund wasn’t effectively used for safety-related tasks.  
  • Decline in Track Renewal Funding: Inadequate funding for track renewal jeopardised track safety.  
  • Inadequate Safety Staffing: Insufficient safety staffing impacted timely execution of safety tasks.  
  • Non-Operational Track Management System: The web-based Track Management System wasn’t functioning correctly which caused a train accident due to technical fault.  

Enhancing Railway Safety in India: Government Initiatives and Measures to Prevent Train Accident

• Kavach system: KAVACH is an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) System for Indian Railways to avoid train accident by collision. 
• Project Mission Raftar: It was introduced in the Railway Budget of 2016-17. The goal is to double the average speed of freight trains and increase passenger train speed by 50%.
  • While the focus is on improving speed, it indirectly contributes to safety by reducing travel time and potentially minimising the risks associated with prolonged journeys.
• Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK): The government initiated the RRSK in 2017-18, a dedicated fund aimed at carrying out safety-related work in a systematic manner.
• Upgradation of infrastructure: This includes the electrification of railway lines, the expansion of rail networks, and the introduction of high-speed lines, such as the Vande Bharat Express.
• LHB Design Coaches: These are based on German technology and have better anti-climbing features, fire retardants, higher speed potential and longer service life than conventional ICF coaches.
• Elimination of manned level crossings: Efforts are being made to replace them with underpasses, overpasses, and other safety measures to enhance railway safety and avoid train accident.
• GPS based Fog Pass Device: A device to help loco pilots navigate in foggy conditions.
• Interlocking System: A system to control points and signals centrally. It eliminates the need for manual operation of points and signals by staff on the ground.

Enhancing Rail Safety in India: Insights from Key Recommendations by Various Committees

Promoting a Safety-First Approach: Strategies for Enhancing Safety Culture and Infrastructure in Indian Railways

• Safety as a culture: Fostering a safety culture across the Indian railways by emphasising the importance of safety at all levels is the need of the hour.
• Strengthening maintenance practices: Implement mechanised methods of track maintenance and leverage improved technologies to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of maintenance activities.
• Advanced technologies: Embrace advanced technologies, to enhance safety monitoring, early detection of faults, and real-time decision-making.
• Implementing a real-time information flow: Adopting a system similar to the Confidential Incident Reporting and Analysis System (CIRAS) used in British Railways is necessary.
• Staffing and training: Focus on improving skills, knowledge, and adherence to safety protocols to minimise human errors.
• Sufficient funding: Proper utilisation of funds from initiatives like the Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK) should be ensured to address safety priorities effectively.