CAG slams Railways for neglecting safety

The Railways have replaced just 12.62 per cent of identified-level Railway Over Bridges (ROBs) and Railway Under Bridges (RUBs) since 2003, while having surrendered 50 per cent of the funds allocated for road safety works.

The Railways have replaced just 12.62 per cent of identified-level Railway Over Bridges (ROBs) and Railway Under Bridges (RUBs) since 2003, while having surrendered 50 per cent of the funds allocated for road safety works.

HT Image

These facts have been brought out in the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), released on Tuesday.

Since a majority of accidents with maximum casualties are taking place at level crossings, the railways must strictly implement all the improved safety features at the level crossings as recommended by the Corporate Safety Plan (CSP).

The performance audit report for year ending March 2009 faults the railways severely for its failure to fill up safety category staff vacancies and its inability to ensure full implementation of the CSP.

Necessary modernisation and upgrade of training facilities were not undertaken for the loco-running staff, despite human error being the major cause of train accidents, the report says.

The report — placed on the table of the Lok Sabha — charges the railways of compromising on passenger safety by engaging “over-age locomotives”. It observed that out of 4,163 Broad Gauge diesel locomotives on line, 223 were still over-age.

Majority of zones failed to meet targets for reducing defects on track, rolling stock and overhead equipment, it says.