We all know what tragedy took place in Balasore, where two trains collided & resulted in the death of 294 & injury to 1,175 people. But this is not just the story of this year that something like this has happened, this accident is the latest in a never-ending series of train accidents in India. In 2021, more than 16,000 people were killed in nearly 18,000 rail accidents across India.
As the country remains seized with staggering death tolls from the train, and although the government has put in efforts to improve, but still several hundred accidents happen annually. Trains remain an essential lifeline of India, which carries around 13 million passengers a day, weaving across 40,000 miles of track.
Though the Indian railway has embraced useful technology, like integrations of rail apps to kavach technology to ensure the safety of citizens, still, unfortunately, the situation hasn’t improved much.
According to NCRB, the major reasons for rail crashes in India are: –
1. Derailments: –
A report on derailments by federal auditors b/w April 2017& March 2021
There were “shortfalls ranging from 30% to 100% in an inspection by track recording cars that are required to assess the geometrical & structural conditions of tracks. A major reason for derailment was related to the maintenance of tracks followed by a variation of track parameters beyond the limits.
Derailments are responsible for 70% of train crashes in the country, but a part of the problem is India’s extreme heat, as railway tracks undergo expansion during the summer months & contraction in winter, which is why they require constant inspection.
2. Human Error: –
Biggest Cause of rail accidents in the last 3 decades, is human errors like overspeeding, passing signals in danger, and carrying out maintenance work without using a proper block of stretches.
How to overcome it? Railway has started to deploy. Kavach is an indigenously developed anti-collision system that automatically applies brakes on the train when an obstruction is detected, but this will take time to cover the entire Indian railways.
3. Explosion/Fire: –
This is also something that has plagued railways for years. This takes place due to electrical faults, arson, leaks, mishandling of the engine, and careless handling of dangerous goods. Though the number of explosions & fire incidents in railways in comparison with the previous decades decreasing continuously.
4. Unmanned Crossing: –
109 rail accidents at unmanned crossings took place in 2014-15
Railway sources said the accidents at unmanned crossings were more frequent in rural areas while such crossings in cities have either been eliminated or manned.
Officials said 1,565 unmanned crossings were eliminated in 2017-18.
Nearly 5,800 unmanned railway crossings are a key cause of rail accidents in India. Sources in the railway ministry said on average close to 1,600 unmanned railway crossings are being removed every year, yet accidents at these points contribute to about 60 percent of the total mishaps on the network.
Though accidents are not just the things that are taking place in Indian railways. Many steps have been taken by railways to ensure the safety of passengers.
1. LHB Coaches The Replacement ICF Coach
In 1999, LHB coaches were introduced to the Indian railways
The coach is considered safer and can run at over 160 mph speed.
LHB coaches are equipped with an anti-telescopic safety design which means If a train crashes, the coaches behind it get separated from the coaches ahead of it so that the coaches behind it don’t get involved in the accident and get affected.
2. Kavach To Ensure Zero Rail Accidents
It is designed by Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RSDO). This system automatically breaks in two situations: If the train doesn’t stop at a red light or if the train is about to crash into another train.
3. Self-Propelled Ultrasonic Rail Testing
Self-Propelled Ultrasonic Rail Testing (SPURT) car is an advanced technology in Indian Railways that detects the internal flaws in rails. In one day, SPURT cars test 80-20 km of track. It is used in place of a USFD manual machine. Through which only 2 to 8 km of tracks get checked per day.
Indian Railways needs to use its technology more efficiently and offer more safety to railway passengers. The Indian railways are the lifeline of the country. People not only use this transport mode to go on trips but also travel by it to get treatments, visit hospitals, study in metro cities, and more. So their safety should be the utmost priority of railways.