Failure of railway staff biggest cause in 50-60 per cent accident cases: Report

The report submitted recently has categorically stated the failure of railway staff is the biggest cause in 50 to 60 per cent cases, and derailments cause maximum deaths and injuries.

Failure of Railway staff is the biggest cause behind train accidents and derailments that have led to maximum deaths and injuries to passengers, said a safety report submitted to Railway ministry.

Rescue and relief work in progress at the site of accident where Ajmer-Sealdah express train derailed near Rura railway station in Kanpur Dehat district in Uttar Pradesh. (PTI File Photo)

Railway had constituted a task force on safety on December 6 last year after the derailment near Kanpur that killed 151 people.

The committee, comprising senior railway officials involved in safety mechanism, was asked to conduct data analysis of investigation into the past accidents and develop a “factual view of potential solutions.”

The report submitted recently has categorically stated the failure of railway staff is the biggest cause in 50 to 60 per cent cases, and derailments cause maximum deaths and injuries.

According to the report, asset failures like track defects such as rail fracture and inadequate maintenance remain the biggest cause of accidents.

Taking note of increase in number of derailments due to rail-fractures and weld failures, it has suggested a need to address the backlog in rail/track renewals and the technology of rail welding.

Advocating technology upgradation to have less dependence on human intervention, the report said “Inspection of rails is a complex exercise and must be automated as much as possible to reduce dependence on human judgement.”

Read| Kanpur train: Cracks in rail tracks expose disregard for passenger safety