One of the busiest and oldest railway systems in the world, Indian Railways, is the country’s lifeline. Prime minister Narendra Modi has given increased focus on the modernisation of the national transporter.
 
As per the Economic Survey 2023-24, Capex deployment in the railways has increased 77 percent over the past five years to Rs 2.62 lakh crore in FY24. In its budget for FY 2024-25, Modi government has allocated Rs 2.52 lakh crore to Indian Railways, surpassing Rs 2.4 lakh crore in the last fiscal.

Notable upgradation in IR’s include implementation of new age semi high-speed Vande Bharat and Rajdhani Tejas Trains, Dedicated Freight Corridors, Bullet Trains, Vaccum Bio Toilets, Vistadome Coaches, increasing rail lines, electrification of tracks, station redevelopment, installing automatic signalling system, UTS Mobile App, eliminating all unmanned crossings on broad gauge, rail connectivity to North-East among several big rail infrastructure projects among others.

In spite of the government investing crores of rupees on upgrading railways, India has had major train accidents in recent times resulting in deaths and  destruction. After the three-train collision in Balasore, Odisha in June 2023 that killed 296 people and injured 1,200, 21 major train accidents have taken place till now – seven of them in 2024.

To understand this grave problem and explore solutions, Geetanjali Minhas spoke to railway experts.

You can watch the video report here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTFYHZIyITM

Here are the edited excerpts of what the experts said:

“Dilution of command lines and lack of accountability are major concerns”
– Subodh Kumar Jain, Former Member, Railway Board

The severity of railway accidents leading to significant casualties has increased. The Balasore train accident drew international attention and highlighted this disturbing trend. There is a growing culture of taking shortcuts within railway operations, often leading to rule violations. This culture has been linked to serious accidents, like the Kunchenjunga accident, where the failure to follow standard procedures resulted in disaster.

Significant delay in the publication of inquiry reports following accidents hinders the ability to address root causes and implement necessary safety measures. This has been criticized by oversight bodies like the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).

Dilution of command lines and lack of accountability are major concerns. The focus of Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS) is to run more and more trains. Operational decisions are being made by those who may not fully understand the technical implications, weakening traditional safety-first approach. For five years Indian Railways have not recruited any engineer from the All India Engineering Service. For example, recruitment of graduates in Class 4 or Group D services like maintenance of tracks has created a mismatch. This work has been traditionally done by locally sourced informal labourers who work in often rigorous conditions. The organizational culture has not kept pace with modernization, creating a mismatch between new technologies and operational capabilities.

Indian Railways need systemic reforms, particularly in the areas of safety, operational culture, and modernization. The current focus on expanding services without addressing underlying issues could lead to further accidents and inefficiencies. The focus on expanding services like the Vande Bharat trains has shifted attention away from safety and maintenance.

Adoption of modern technologies, like automatic signalling and ‘Kavach’ (an indigenous train collision avoidance system), has not been matched by adequate training, leading to operational challenges and safety risks. Increased traffic post-COVID has put additional pressure on railway infrastructure, with insufficient time allocated for maintenance. The introduction of new rolling block maintenance scheduling systems has not yet demonstrated clear improvements in track or equipment upkeep keeping revenue income and loss in mind.

The emergence of fire incidents as a growing threat within Indian Railways is a wake-up call. Despite technological advancements, the system's ability to prevent and respond to fires is clearly inadequate. The introduction of a comprehensive SOP for firefighting and evacuation, along with a detailed investigation into recent incidents, is essential. Indian Railways must act swiftly to address these issues, ensuring the safety and security of passengers across the network.

For privatisation, incomplete and half-hearted attempts were made within the Indian Railways, like the public-private partnership (PPP) model for station development and private operation of passenger trains. Now we have to unbundle .The Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) offers a potential starting point for meaningful privatization. An open-access model similar to the highway toll, in which private entities could operate their own trains on this infrastructure, needs to be brought in.

There is now a need for the establishment of an independent safety regulator for the railways, similar to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in the aviation sector. This regulator would oversee operations and safety on a day-to-day basis, ensuring that issues are flagged and addressed before accidents occur.

“Significant challenges due to decades of underinvestment and neglect”
– Alok Kumar Verma, Retired Engineer, Indian Railway Service of Engineers  

Around the year 2000, India witnessed rapid growth in roadways and airways, particularly with the rise of low-cost airlines and the expansion of highways under prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. As the economy grew, railways faced stiff competition from these modernized road and air networks. During this period, Indian Railways should have focused on expanding its network and modernizing its infrastructure, including increasing the speed of trains to remain competitive. While countries like China, Japan and European nations were developing high-speed rail systems, Indian Railways lagged in this area.

The government initiated the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) for heavy freight trains and the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project on the standard gauge instead of the prevalent broad gauge, which led to the neglect of the main railway network. The DFC and Bullet Train projects were slow to progress, and the focus on these projects diverted attention and resources from the broader railway network.

In 2017, the government launched ‘Mission Raftaar’ to increase the speed of passenger and freight trains, but the CAG report of 2022 revealed minimal progress, with even a marginal decline in average speeds. The Vande Bharat Express was introduced as a modern-looking train, but its speed was constrained by the outdated track infrastructure, rendering it ineffective in significantly reducing travel times.

The main Indian railway network has suffered from decades of neglect, leading to congestion, inadequate maintenance and safety lapses. The two CAG reports highlighted the high failure rates of railway assets, such as signals and tracks, contributing to major accidents, including the Balasore accident, which resulted in significant loss of life.

Since 1995, China has added 90,000 kilometres of new railway lines, while India has added only 5,000 kilometers. This stark contrast underscores the lack of investment and expansion in India's railway infrastructure. Indian Railways must revisit its policies, focusing on increasing capacity and speed on the broad gauge network, particularly on the key trunk routes that connect major cities. The government should prioritize the expansion and modernization of the existing railway network over standalone projects like the Bullet Train, which do not integrate well with the current system.

The Railway Board's role in advising the government and planning for the future has been criticized for failing to foresee the growing competition from road and air transport and for not adequately expanding and modernizing the railway network. To remain competitive, Indian Railways must rapidly build new lines and upgrade existing ones to handle higher speeds (200-250 kmph) and accommodate growing traffic volumes. The focus should be on the broad gauge network, which forms the backbone of India's transportation system.
Implementation of modern safety systems like Kavach has been slow, and there is a need for urgent action to improve signaling and track quality to prevent accidents and improve overall efficiency.

Indian Railways has faced significant challenges due to decades of underinvestment and neglect, particularly in its broad gauge network. While ambitious projects like the DFC and Bullet Train have been pursued, they have diverted focus from the core network, leading to stagnation in both freight and passenger traffic. To reverse the decline and compete with modernized road and air transport, Indian Railways must prioritize expanding capacity, increasing train speeds, and modernizing its infrastructure on the existing broad gauge network.

“Focus should be on providing affordable, reliable transportation to all segments of society”
– Rajendra B. Aklekar, Journalist, Author, Rail Historian

The Indian railway network is operating beyond its optimal capacity, with trains running in close succession; leaving minimal gaps between services. This congestion is particularly acute along the Golden Quadrilateral, connecting India's major metropolitan cities, where approximately 80% of the nation's rail traffic is concentrated. The high frequency of trains leaves little to no time for essential maintenance activities, including the inspection and upkeep of tracks, overhead wires, signaling systems, and rolling stock. Continuous and intensive use without proper maintenance accelerates deterioration of railway assets, increasing likelihood of failures and accidents. To meet stringent freight targets, trains are often run without regular and thorough inspections, leading to frequent derailments and system disruptions.

Frequent announcements of new train services by political figures, often without comprehensive feasibility studies or consideration of existing network capacity, exacerbate system congestion and operational strain. Insertion of new trains into already packed schedules leads to delays, increased congestion, and compromised safety standards.
 
Each new administration tends to introduce its own set of policies and projects, leading to a lack of long-term strategic planning and continuity. There is a tendency to prioritize high-profile, visible projects and cosmetic upgrades over fundamental infrastructure improvements and safety enhancements.

To alleviate congestion and improve operational efficiency, there is an urgent need to construct new railway corridors parallel to existing saturated routes, especially along the Golden Quadrilateral.  Development of clear, phased, and time-bound plans for the expansion and upgrading of railway infrastructure is essential for sustainable growth and improved service delivery. Indian Railways should concentrate on its primary responsibilities of train operations and maintenance, reducing involvement in non-essential activities such as running hotels and ancillary services. It needs to ensure that staff and financial resources are focused on critical areas like infrastructure development and maintenance rather than dispersed across numerous overlapping and low-priority projects.

Divisional Railway Managers (DRMs) should be granted greater autonomy to manage operations effectively without excessive micromanagement from higher authorities such as the Railway Board.

Clear delineation of duties and accountability at all levels ensures that maintenance schedules are adhered to and safety protocols are strictly followed. Instituting and maintaining strict, daily inspection and maintenance routines to ensure the reliability and safety of railway assets.
‘Kavach' should be deployed promptly and extensively to prevent collisions and enhance overall safety. Modern, efficient signaling systems are critical for managing high-density traffic and should be prioritized in modernization plans.

As a critical public service, Indian Railways should focus on providing affordable and reliable transportation to all segments of society. Public ownership allows for greater control over safety standards and service quality, which should remain paramount concerns.