Questions are now being raised about the safety of train travel. People traveling by train are worried whether they will reach their destination safely or if they will fall victim to a train accident. This concern has become common among the public because, under the current rail minister's tenure, two passenger trains and one goods train derail every month.
The guarantee of passenger safety in Indian Railways has once again derailed along with the train itself. The coaches of Indian Railways, which have been widely applauded for their supposed safety shields, have once again derailed, shattering the common man's trust in safe travel. The belief that the money spent on a train ticket ensures a safe journey is falling apart just like the coaches on the tracks.
17 Lives Lost in Train Accidents in 6 Weeks
In the past six weeks, train accidents in the country have claimed 17 lives. Jharkhand has witnessed its third rail accident in six months. This time, 18 coaches of the Mumbai-Howrah Mail derailed. It’s claimed that the derailed coaches of a goods train near the tracks might have caused the accident. This mishap resulted in 2 deaths and over 20 injuries.
131 Rail Accidents in the Last 3 Years
According to information provided by the railway through an RTI, from July 7, 2021, to June 17, 2024, there have been 131 train accidents in the country, 92 of which were derailments. These accidents included 64 passenger trains and 28 goods trains. On average, two passenger trains and one goods train derail every month in the last three years.
8 Train Derailments in the Last 14 Days
In the month of July alone, on July 18 there was a rail accident in Chandigarh-Dibrugarh that resulted in 4 deaths and 31 injuries. On July 19, a goods train derailed in Valsad, Gujarat. On July 20, 12 coaches of a goods train derailed in Amroha, UP. On July 21, 3 coaches of a goods train derailed in Alwar, Rajasthan. On the same day, a goods train derailed in Ranaghat, West Bengal. On July 26, a goods train derailed in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. On July 29, coaches of Bihar Sampark Kranti Express separated in Samastipur, Bihar, and on July 30, a passenger train going from Howrah to Mumbai derailed in Chakradharpur, Jharkhand.
Only 2% of Rail Routes Have Anti-Collision System Installed
Now, the common man is questioning whether the 'Happy Journey' written on the ticket is a reality. So far, only 2% of the rail routes have the anti-collision system installed, which is claimed to prevent train collisions. This means, over 97% of the Indian Railway network still lacks this collision avoidance system. Consequently, the question arises, how many more years will the public have to endure collisions while waiting for the anti-collision system to be installed?
150,000 Vacant Positions in Railways
Another harsh reality of the railway system is that, according to RTI, nearly 1.5 lakh positions responsible for safety are vacant. These positions include track maintainers, pointsmen, electric signal maintainers, and signalling supervisors. With incomplete safety preparations, trains will continue to derail, and who will guarantee the safety of the common man?
₹1100 Crore Allocated for the Anti-Collision System
This time, Indian Railways has been allocated approximately ₹1100 crore for the anti-collision system. It is claimed that more than ₹45,000 crore is required for all routes, and according to the opposition, installing collision prevention systems on every route will take several decades. So, does that mean the public's life will remain cheap until then?
