60% Drop in Consequential Train Accidents and 17% Reduction in Deaths Over a Decade

 

New Delhi, 19 March, (PIB): Safety is accorded the highest priority on Indian Railways. As a consequence of various safety measures taken over the years, there has been a steep decline in the number of accidents.

Number of Consequential Train Accidents has reduced as shown in the table below:-

Year

Consequential Accidents

2014-15

135

2025-26 (upto 28.02.2026)

14 (90% lesser)

Consequential Train Accidents on Indian Railways and casualties (including railway passengers and railway personnel) therein are as follows:-

Period

No.  of Consequential Train Accidents

No. of Deaths

 

No. of Injuries

 

2004-05 to 2013-14

1,711

904

3,155

2014-15 to 2023-24

678

748

2,087

2024-25

31

18

92

2025-26 (upto

February 2026)

14

16

28

The various safety measures, including track maintenance and signalling system, taken to enhance safety in train operations are as under:-

  • On Indian Railways, the expenditure on Safety related activities has increased over the years as under:-

Expenditure/Budget on Safety related activities (Rs. in Cr.)

2013-14

2022-23

2023-24

2024-25

2025-26

2026-27

39,200

87,336

1,01,662

1,14,022

1,17,693

1,20,389

  •  Electrical/Electronic Interlocking Systems with centralized operation of points and signals have been provided at 6,665 stations up to 28.02.2026 to reduce accidents due to human failure.
  • Interlocking of Level Crossing (LC) Gates has been provided at 10,153 Level Crossing Gates up to 28.02.2026 for enhancing safety at LC Gates.
  • Complete Track Circuiting of stations to enhance safety by verification of track occupancy by electrical means has been provided at 6,669 stations up to 28.02.2026.
  • Indian Railways has gone for implementation of indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system, which required safety certification of highest order (SIL 4). Kavach has been adopted as a National ATP system in July 2020. Based on deployment of Kavach version 3.2 on 1465 RKm on South Central Railway and experience gained, further improvements were made. Finally, Kavach specification version 4.0 was approved by RDSO on 16.07.2024. After extensive and elaborate trials, Kavach Version 4.0 has been successfully commissioned on 1,452 Route Kilometres, covering the high density Delhi- Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah routes as below: 

SN

Section

Progress Route (Km)

(1)

Delhi-Mumbai route:

i

Junction cabin – Palwal – Mathura –Nagda section

667

ii

Vadodara - Ahmedabad section

96

iii

Vadodara - Virar section

336

(2)

Delhi – Howrah route:

i

Gaya Sarmatanr section

93

ii

Chota Ambana - Bardhaman – Howrah section

260

This information was provided by the Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, in a reply to a question in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.