Equipment Failure, Human Error Common Causes of Train Damage Over 2 Years, Department Response Amongst Ridiculous Opinions

Even though allegations of sabotage surround almost all accidents involving Indian Railways, the minister clarified that the main causes of failures in the last two years are mechanical failure, natural factors and human error, among others.

Responding to an RTI query, on the basis of inquiries made by the Commissioners of Railway Safety (CRS), the Ministry of Railways said that the number of train accidents has decreased in the last 10 years. The document provided by the minister highlighted the safety record of Vande Bharat trains, which shows that no consecutive train accidents, including derailments, have occurred with these trains since 2019. However, incidents of stoning have been reported.

This comes at a crucial time when the investigation into the Mysuru-Darbhanga Bagmati Express accident is going on. A preliminary technical inspection of the area, according to the sources, showed the possibility of destruction. However, the joint note prepared by the divisional officials did not come to a conclusion.

“The note does not allow us to reach a definite conclusion. The incident in Tamil Nadu appears to be unusual, and such unusual occurrences usually suggest something is wrong. This leaves open the possibility of a technical malfunction or system problem. The important question now is whether this is due to the failure of the system or the intervention of people,” explained the chief executive officer of Indian Railways.

ERRORS

Technical malfunctions, called ‘equipment failures’, are easy to understand. On the other hand, ‘human error’ covers mistakes made by railway staff, including the pilot or ground-based technical staff. This section covers incidents like SPAD (Signal Passed At Danger) or other related issues. A comparable incident occurred with the Kanchenjunga Express, where human error was determined to be the cause of the accident.

Talking about the causes, the railway official said, “Natural conditions include issues related to natural calamities or other natural events. For example, if strong winds damage the Overhead Equipment (OHE), the results may fall under this category. Similarly, if floods cause damage to the track, the following effects can also be classified as the influence of environmental factors. “

The Minister, in an RTI reply, also presented the details of the accidents in the last 20 years. These figures show a sharp decline from 351 accidents in 2002-03 to 40 in 2023-24. However, the data also reveals a worrying increase in casualties during 2023-24, with 317 deaths and 749 injuries, compared to two deaths and 76 injuries the previous year.