According to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s written reply in Lok Sabha, the number of railway accidents has reduced significantly from 135 in 2014-15 to just 40 in 2023-24. Furthermore, the total number of railway accidents between 2004 and 2014, which averaged 171 per year, decreased significantly to 68 per year during the period 2014-2024. In addition, several safety indices, such as the number of accidents per million train kilometers, improved by approximately 73%. Vaishnaw says the decline reflects the positive impact of technological innovations and infrastructure improvements on rail safety, contributing to a safer travel environment for millions of passengers.

Implementing Kavach for Indian Railways Security

THE Indian Railways has adopted several cutting-edge technologies to further improve security. One of the key developments is the introduction of the Kavach system, already operational on more than 1,500 kilometers of road. Work is currently underway on the Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah corridors, covering around 3,000 kilometers of road. Till date, trackside activities have been completed on around 1,081 RKm, including 705 RKm completed on Delhi-Mumbai route and 376 RKm on Delhi-Howrah route. Additionally, comprehensive signage safety guidelines, such as mandatory matching checks, modification protocols and preparation of completion drawings, have been published to ensure consistent safety standards.

From electronic locking system to GPS-based fog safety devices

In addition, more than 6,600 stations have been equipped with electric/electronic interlocking systems to prevent accidents caused by human error, while track circuitry in more than 6,600 stations ensures safe monitoring of track occupancy . The track circuit, which ensures safety by electrically checking track occupancy, has been implemented at 6,619 stations as of October 31 this year, the minister said in Lok Sabha.

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Other innovations, such as the GPS-based Fog Safety Device (FSD) and Vigilance Control Devices (VCD) for locomotive pilots, contribute significantly to reducing accidents in harsh conditions. These efforts highlight the Indian Railways‘commitment to safety and operational excellence.

The minister said that during primary track renovations, modern track structures are used, including 60 kg and 90 ultimate tensile strength (UTS) rails, as well as pre-stressed concrete (PSC) sleepers with Normal and wide base designs with elastic bindings. In addition, fan-shaped switches on the PSC sleepers and Steel Channel/H-beam sleepers on girder bridges are used to improve the durability and safety of the rail network.

(With inputs from PTI)