3 ‘consequential’ train accidents per month over last 5 yrs, 18 in 1st 5 months of 2024, reveals RTI

Times of India: Agra: Tuesday, 1 October 2024.

Wagons of a goods train derailed near Tupkadih station in Bokaro, Jharkhand, last week, disrupting rail traffic. This follows a coal train derailment in Mathura just on Sept 18. Data from an RTI query revealed an average of three consequential train accidents per month over the past five years, with 18 accidents reported in the first five months of 2024-25 alone.
The data was revealed through an RTI query filed by activist Chandra Shekhar Gaur from Neemuch, Madhya Pradesh.
"Indian Railways has been grappling with a recent rise in accidents, particularly derailments. Both freight and passenger trains are increasingly involved, raising concerns about the state of railway infrastructure. The govt's focus on high-profile projects seems to have diverted attention from critical safety concerns," Gaur said.
Over the last five years, there have been 200 major train accidents, with 145 involving derailments. Poor track maintenance and outdated infrastructure are the primary causes, according to a senior Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) official. Issues such as improper track alignment, inefficient signalling and lack of upkeep on bridges and tunnels also contribute to the problem.
India's railway network, one of the busiest globally, transports millions of passengers and vast amounts of freight daily. Overcrowding and overloaded trains, particularly goods trains, put extra stress on tracks, increasing the risk of derailment, the activist added.
"Human error, including driver fatigue, insufficient training and negligence, also plays a critical role in these accidents. Signal failures and communication breakdowns among railway staff have contributed to several derailments," said a retired chief engineer.
Public attention on rail safety intensified after the Balasore rail accident in June 2023, when three trains collided in Odisha, killing 296 people and injuring over 1,000.
Northern Railways has recorded the highest number of accidents in the past five years, with 25 incidents, followed by Central Railway (22) and North Central Railway (21).
Indian Railways operates across 67,000km and serves 2.3 crore passengers daily. However, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India reported a Rs 103,395 crore deficit for track renewal. Despite an allocation of Rs 58,459 crore, only Rs 671 crore was spent by the end of 2020-21, representing just 0.7% of the required amount. The CAG also highlighted more than one lakh signal failures and numerous track and rolling stock issues each year.
In Feb, railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw noted in the Rajya Sabha that the average number of train accidents has dropped from 171 per year between 2004-14 to 71 per year between 2014-23.