Indian Railways still not addressing train safety

[Venkat]

Safety seems to be the biggest problem facing Indian Railways, which is already facing the flak for not installing the anti-collision device. CNN-IBN has the details of safety officers meeting that reveal shocking details of the deteriorating infrastructure including the welding on tracks that can cause derailments.

The train collision at Sainthia station between Uttarbanga Express and Vananchal Express in which at least 60 people were killed, raised the question on the role of the driver. Railway Ministry figures reveal that in the last 10 years human error has accounted for half the train accidents but the railways have done precious little to reduce the over dependence on human judgement.

Chief safety officers of zonal railway in a meeting with top railway officials in January 2009 raised serious concerns over railway safety. CNN-IBN has accessed the minutes of the meeting.

The meeting discussed that the tracks on which the trains run have serious welding failures that could lead to derailments, even coaches across railway zones need lots of repair and replacement of old signal systems with news ones that reduce human error is not happening.

Safety officers told the meeting that in one instance the signal had gone blank as there was no power back up when a Rajdhani Express crossed. Officers also raised a red flag on the practice of hiding failures.

“There is a feeling of disappointment among railway employees because al though they get overtime allowances and all other benefits having worked more number of hours, the human machine cannot work with greater efficiency at all times,” said National Federation of Indian Railwaymen General Secretary M Raghavaiah.

The meeting, held after eight long years, also discussed that a considerable delay of more than six hours is seen even in reporting accidents and during that crucial time several lives cane be saved. This fact is particularly noted by the South Eastern and Eastern Railways, which saw two of the biggest tragedies of recent times with the Gyaneshwari Express derailment and the collision at Sainthia.

Source: IBN