Indian Railways (IR) are part and parcel of Indian people’s consciousness.  With the rising intensity of consciousness, public perception is getting focussed on Indian Railways safety as an epitome of national efficiency and skill.
Safety on Indian Railways permeates in all activities of operation and maintenance  – be it track, bridges, signalling installations, locos and coaches or large work force handling multifarious and complex assets. It cannot be materially segregated or divested from operation.  But, the bases for all safety questions are mainly trade-offs between the acceptable levels of risk, benefits and the costs.




Indian Railways share the public concern on train accidents. Hence, at their own initiative Indian Railways have been getting the safety preparedness of the system reviewed by Expert Committees periodically. During the last four decades, four such committees have thoroughly examined all aspects of Indian Railways’ working, specially safety related areas. The system has reaped the fruits through implementation of their valued recommendations, in the form of gradual reduction of accidents.

Over 400 accidents a year, and majority of them being non-fatal and involving freight trains, in a vast network operating over 50 lakh trains a year, may not raise an alarm; but even one fatal accident of dimensions that of Kadalundi or Khanna or Gaisal erodes the confidence of travelling public and railwaymen as well. The concern is, therefore, to achieve higher standards of safety.

Safety costs nothing if one reposes total and implicit faith in human excellence. At the same time, safety costs the sky, if one seeks ‘absolute safety’, as the risk levels have to be brought down to zero, an impossible task in transport sector (The recent accident of even Space Shuttle in USA is an indicator).

Modernisation of fixed infrastructure viz. track, rolling stock and signalling installations is sine quo non, if IR have to keep pace with times. Creation of a non-lapsable Special Railway Safety Fund of Rs.17000 crores has been an important step in this direction.  During IX Five Year Plan, over Rs.13,400 crores have been spent on safety related infrastructure upgradation. This included over 15,000 Kms. of track renewals, rehabilitation of over 3100 bridges, replacement of over 600 signalling systems and track circuiting at over 4200 locations etc. Higher allocation to safety projects in coming years may reasonably be expected with operationalisation of Special  Railway Safety Fund.

The track, being the backbone of the railway system, receives the utmost attention and investment as well. Over 42,000 Kms of track have been completed with long welded rails to reduce fish-plated joints, the weakest link of the iron path. Heavier rails, concrete sleepers, elastic fastening, superior quality of rails are   other measures for strengthening the sinews of the railway network.

Of 1,20,000 bridges, no alarm needs to be raised about adequacy of safety parameters despite over 51,000 of them being of 19th century vintage. ‘Distressed Bridge’ is not a dangerous or an unsafe bridge. It is a bridge, which is basically a tired one, and is rejuvenated by the necessary inputs. Most of 527 distressed bridges as on 1.4.2002 are likely to be rehabilitated soon.  This, however, is a continuous process. Phasing out of accident prone 4-wheeler CRT wagons, induction of air-brake stock to the extent of 19,000 coaches and 1.2 lakhs freight wagons, ultra-sonic testing of wagons and introduction of anti-telescopic and anti-climbing features in coaches are some means to retain the stock in good fettle.

Indian Railways  most critical area of concern in recent times, has been a small percentage of collisions, because of the devastation they cause. Devices like Track Circuiting,  Auxiliary Warning System, Block Proving Axle Counter and recent indigenous and innovative development of Anti-Collision Device are stepping stones towards a   collision-free Indian Railways. Providing walkie-talkie sets to Drivers and Guards, equipping locomotives with automatic SOS flasher lights and   training of drivers on simulators   are other aids to reduce probability of collisions.

With over 38,000 level crossings, complex nature of road traffic, and less than 100 accidents a year, India ranks better than many advanced countries including France , USA and Japan , in area of level crossing mishaps with 0.10 accident per million train Kms. However, to enhance safety at level crossings, Railway Safety Fund was created in 2000-2001. Both the Railway Act – 1989 and Motor Vehicle Act – 1988 call upon alertness of road vehicle users. Notwithstanding several external factors, IR have been actively involving all concerned, to undertake  social campaigns  to contain the trend.




Railwayman, the most important asset of Indian Railways, is many a times discredited in the name of human error. This asset can best be utilized by  developing high-peak morale, building up cohesive and integrating environment, and by providing  appropriate appliances to fall back upon. Modernisation and upgradation of training institutions and empowerment of safety organization are other areas of IR’s action plan.

Some important issues related to organizational ethos, and social fabric have also been raised in the White Paper, for which infallible answers may not be  available. We wish that they are debated

widely, after scrutinizing the facts and figures brought out in the White Paper.

The vision of fatality-free Indian Railways may not be far away, if we steadily and systematically tread on the missionary path of technological advancement and modernization, alongwith enrichment of vast pool of human resources.

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