Letters to The Editor — June 18, 2024
9 months, 2 weeks ago

Letters to The Editor — June 18, 2024

The Hindu  

Rail accident There seems to be no end to railway accidents in India. In the frenzy to flag off Vande Bharat trains across India, the Minister has become a hapless spectator. C. Sachidananda Narayanan, Palayamkottai, Tamil Nadu Over the past few years, the Indian Railways has been dealing with serious challenges: signal failures, maintenance issues and gross negligence in various departments. G. Ramasubramanyam, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh Despite the ‘implementation’ of numerous safety measures, a train journey in India is still unsafe. Passengers are being charged more but there hardly seems to be any obligation on the part of the Indian Railways to ensure a safe journey.

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History of this topic

The bigger tragedy is the Railways and its systemic inertia
1 month ago

The bigger tragedy is the Railways and its systemic inertia

The Hindu  

In the cacophony of religious fervour for a holy dip at the Kumbh, amidst bustling railway stations, jostling crowds, and ceaseless proclamations by Indian Railways about the number of train services and the passengers ferried to Prayagraj, lies an inconvenient truth: the approach to passenger safety and convenience is at best tragically outdated, and at worst, a harbinger of disaster. …

Parliament Standing Committee concerned over slow roll out of ‘Kavach’
Trending News
2 months ago

Parliament Standing Committee concerned over slow roll out of ‘Kavach’

The Hindu  

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Indian Railways has expressed concern over the slow roll out of the indigenous Automatic Train Protection System or ‘Kavach’ and also about the lackadaisical approach towards research and development. The committee felt that R&D is a “prudent investment in the long term for modernisation of Indian Railways and urged the ministry concerned to take urgent …

How 'Kavach' is transforming train safety on Indian Railways
3 months, 1 week ago

How 'Kavach' is transforming train safety on Indian Railways

India Today  

Indian Railways is enhancing safety and operational efficiency with the introduction of "Kavach," an advanced Train Collision Avoidance System. Recently, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav shared a video on X, demonstrating how Kavach is effectively supporting train operations even in challenging weather conditions. This marks a major achievement for Indian Railways, which has faced numerous accidents in recent years, as the …

Report blames staff, faulty signals for train accident
4 months, 3 weeks ago

Report blames staff, faulty signals for train accident

Hindustan Times  

Multiple operational lapses by railway staff and malfunctioning signals led to the deadly collision between Kanchanjunga Express and a goods train in June that killed 10 people, an investigation has found, calling for urgent steps to deploy train collision prevention systems. “The accident occurred due to lapses at multiple levels in managing train operations under Automatic Signal failures,” the report …

NIA Investigating Train Sabotage Bids, Ashwini Vaishnaw Says Govt Treating Security Threats With Utmost Seriousness
6 months, 1 week ago

NIA Investigating Train Sabotage Bids, Ashwini Vaishnaw Says Govt Treating Security Threats With Utmost Seriousness

News 18  

Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday said the railway administration is on alert for potential train sabotage bids and is holding talks with the administration and police in several states to prevent any untoward incident. The central government treats security threats with the utmost seriousness and strict action will be taken against anyone attempting to sabotage trains, the railway minister …

Kavach safety system to be implemented in ECoR soon: GM Parmeshwar Funkwal
6 months, 2 weeks ago

Kavach safety system to be implemented in ECoR soon: GM Parmeshwar Funkwal

New Indian Express  

BHUBANESWAR: General manager of East Coast Railway Parmeshwar Funkwal stressed the need of mechanical measurements of all track parameters to minimise human errors and take control over train accidents. Speaking at an event organised by ECoR Engineers’ Association here to mark Engineers Day and commemorate 164th birth anniversary of renowned engineer M Visvesvaraya, Funkwal informed that the new Kavach system …

What does India need to do to make its railways safer? | In Focus podcast
9 months ago

What does India need to do to make its railways safer? | In Focus podcast

The Hindu  

Earlier this month, a train accident in West Bengal killed 10 people and injured over 40. Railway accidents have decreased significantly over the past decade - only 0.03 accidents took place per million km in both 2020-21 and 2021-22. But this number loses meaning in light of the numbers of lives lost in rail accidents over the past couple of …

Tragedy on rail tracks flags uphill battle
9 months, 1 week ago

Tragedy on rail tracks flags uphill battle

Hindustan Times  

The 10 lives lost in the crash in Rangapani, West Bengal, early on Monday are a tragic reminder of how railway safety continues to challenge the Indian Railways. Just over a year after the worst rail accident in three decades – the Coromandel Express crash in Odisha on June 2, 2023, that claimed 296 lives – a freight train rammed …

Letters to The Editor — June 19, 2024
9 months, 1 week ago

Letters to The Editor — June 19, 2024

The Hindu  

Rail accident The train accident in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district has highlighted the perilous state of rail safety in India. N. Sadasivan Pillai, Guntakal, Andhra Pradesh The Congress’s next move Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra did emerge as a star campaigner in the general election, but it is too early to perceive what extent her impact as a lawmaker will …

SC appreciates steps taken by Railways to roll out Kavach anti-collision system
11 months, 2 weeks ago

SC appreciates steps taken by Railways to roll out Kavach anti-collision system

The Hindu  

The Supreme Court on April 15 recorded the steps taken by the Railways to prevent train accidents, including the implementation of the indigenous anti-collision system Kavach, and acknowledged the measures taken by the Ministry. “We appreciate the steps taken by the Railways,” a Bench headed by Justice Surya Kant said, taking on record a status report filed by Attorney General …

Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inspects Amrit Bharat Train in New Delhi
1 year, 3 months ago

Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inspects Amrit Bharat Train in New Delhi

Hindustan Times  

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw took to X to share a video of himself inspecting the soon-to-be-launched Amrit Bharat Train at the New Delhi Railway Station. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw examining the cabin of the train driver. “Amrit Kal ki Amrit Bharat Train,” wrote the Union Minister while sharing a video on X. Great Minister.” What are your thoughts on this …

Indian Railways Far from Safe Despite Several Initiatives
1 year, 5 months ago

Indian Railways Far from Safe Despite Several Initiatives

Deccan Chronicle  

Visakhapatnam: Attention riveted to the lack of safety on the Indian Railways following the train mishap at Kantakapalli and Alamanda on the mainline of the Waltair Division. The CAG's 2022 report highlighted several shortcomings within the Indian Railways system that operates one of the world's largest and busiest rail networks. Key factors contributing to rail accidents include poor rolling stock …

Bihar train accident: Visual probe of the most affected coaches
1 year, 5 months ago

Bihar train accident: Visual probe of the most affected coaches

India Today  

The Indian Railways on Thursday ordered a high-level inquiry into the derailment of the Delhi-Kamakhya North East Express in Bihar’s Buxar district, which led to the death of four passengers and left 70 others injured. The accident took place at 9:53 pm when the 12506 Northeast Express, running from Anand Vihar Terminal in Delhi to Kamakhya Junction in Guwahati, was …

North Western Railways to install 'Kavach' in next two years: Official
1 year, 6 months ago

North Western Railways to install 'Kavach' in next two years: Official

India TV News  

The North Western Railway aims to implement the Kavach anti-collision system in its zone, which spans across Rajasthan and Haryana, in the next two years, said a senior railway official on Monday. According to the official, the North Western Railway operates three Vande Bharat Express trains that are equipped with Kavach, the indigenously developed train protection system. The train accident …

India’s Train Collisions Underscore Need for Changing Track
1 year, 8 months ago

India’s Train Collisions Underscore Need for Changing Track

The Diplomat  

A tragedy occurred on June 2, when a passenger train – the Coromandel Express – running from Kolkata to Chennai veered off the tracks and collided with a stationary freight train. The Vande Bharat trains and the bullet train are the Modi government’s flagship projects. Significantly, the first Vande Bharat train linked New Delhi with Varanasi, Modi’s electoral constituency, while …

Kejriwal, Lalu's RJD attacks Modi govt over trains' condition: ‘torture centres’
1 year, 9 months ago

Kejriwal, Lalu's RJD attacks Modi govt over trains' condition: ‘torture centres’

Hindustan Times  

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday came down heavily on the ruling BJP at the Centre over the alleged worsening condition of Indian Railways, saying the government has destroyed the well-running fleet of trains. In another tweet, the Delhi CM, without taking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's name, said, “The one who cannot run trains, how will he run the …

Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reviews safety works in Northern Railways
1 year, 9 months ago

Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reviews safety works in Northern Railways

The Hindu  

After the tragic June 2 rail accident in Odisha’s Balasore, Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw conducted a three-hour meeting on June 17 at the Divisional Railway Manager’s office, Northern Railways, New Delhi to review safety works. Mr. Vaishnaw instructed the officers and staff present to ensure the safety of train movement, and emphasised that it should not be compromised during …

Railways to review operations, to ensure ‘zero compromise’ on safety
1 year, 9 months ago

Railways to review operations, to ensure ‘zero compromise’ on safety

The Hindu  

The Indian Railways will review every aspect of safety in the operation of trains to ensure foolproof working of the system. Expressing grave concern over the tragic train accident at Bahanaga Bazar railway station in Odisha which left 288 passengers dead and over 900 injured, Chairman Railway Board/Chief Executive Officer A. K. Lahoti directed top railway officers, including General Managers …

Congress questions BJP over rail safety following Odisha train accident
1 year, 9 months ago

Congress questions BJP over rail safety following Odisha train accident

The Hindu  

Published : Jun 15, 2023 11:00 IST - 3 MINS READ The Congress has raised several questions on rail safety, pointing out that the BJP, in a 2016 accident, had hidden behind the sabotage theory without providing any proof. In its first statement after the accident involving multiple trains in Odisha, the All India Congress Committee released a set of …

Odisha Train Tragedy: Monumental train disaster at Balasore puts issues plaguing Railways in focus
1 year, 9 months ago

Odisha Train Tragedy: Monumental train disaster at Balasore puts issues plaguing Railways in focus

The Hindu  

Published : Jun 15, 2023 11:00 IST - 14 MINS READ Accidents are not rare in the Indian Railways: there were 48 train accidents in 2022-23, including six collisions, 35 “consequential” train accidents in the 2021-22, and 22 in 2020-21. WATCH: A mind-numbing parallel follows every train accident in India: the dead and injured are moved, on foot, by cart …

CRS probe into Balasore train tragedy: Five rail employees under scanner
1 year, 9 months ago

CRS probe into Balasore train tragedy: Five rail employees under scanner

The Hindu  

Five railway employees, including the station master of Bahanaga Bazar, are being investigated in connection with the three-train accident in Odisha's Balasore district that claimed 288 lives, official sources said on Monday. The sources said the five employees are discharging their duties at present and any future action would depend on the accident probe report prepared by the Commissioner of …

Odisha train accident | Are safety protocols of Indian Railways enough?
1 year, 9 months ago

Odisha train accident | Are safety protocols of Indian Railways enough?

The Hindu  

How to combine both. That’s the solution Indian Railways has to find now after the tragic triple train mishap at Bahanagar Bazar station in Balasore, Odisha, last Friday, as questions have been raised about its functioning. Having had a relatively major accident-free record in the recent past, the government and the Indian Railways may have missed a key step of …

Getting railway safety back on track after Odisha
1 year, 9 months ago

Getting railway safety back on track after Odisha

The Hindu  

There have been innumerable television debates following the train accident involving the 12841 Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express, the 12864 Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express and a goods train at Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore district, Odisha, on the evening of June 2. The Odisha train accident is now a subject of double investigation; the first, the statutory probe by …

After Odisha train tragedy, Railways to ensure signalling equipment secured with double locks
1 year, 9 months ago

After Odisha train tragedy, Railways to ensure signalling equipment secured with double locks

India Today  

Days after the horrific Odisha train crash, which claimed the lives of 278 people, the Railways has launched a week-long safety drive to ensure that all compounds housing signaling equipment are provided with “double locking arrangements”. On Monday, the Indian Railways issued a circular on a week-long safety drive, launched immediately to ensure goomties located within the railway station limits …

Odisha train tragedy: 'It's not the time to suppress the truth'- CM Mamata Banerjee sharpens attack on Centre
1 year, 9 months ago

Odisha train tragedy: 'It's not the time to suppress the truth'- CM Mamata Banerjee sharpens attack on Centre

India TV News  

Odisha train tragedy: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday slammed the Centre after Railway Board recommended a CBI inquiry into the Balasore train accident saying she wants people to know the truth. Mamata cancels Darjeeling trip Banerjee on Monday cancelled her four-day trip to Darjeeling at the last minute to supervise the treatment and rehabilitation of passengers of …

DC Edit | Worst rail tragedy in years brings with it hard lessons
1 year, 9 months ago

DC Edit | Worst rail tragedy in years brings with it hard lessons

Deccan Chronicle  

The worst accident in the Indian Railways in this century has shocked the nation. Its tragedy in human terms is unacceptably high — 275 people have reportedly died — and over 1,175 are seriously injured and taking treatment. Prime Minister Narendra Modi rushed to the accident spot, as had railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, to survey and oversee the rescue operations. …

Congress demands Rail Minister’s resignation, alleges Centre prioritised PR of Vande Bharat trains over rail safety
1 year, 9 months ago

Congress demands Rail Minister’s resignation, alleges Centre prioritised PR of Vande Bharat trains over rail safety

The Hindu  

After holding off questions on the Balasore train accident for a day, the Congress on Sunday demanded the resignation of Ashwini Vaishnaw and asked if the Narendra Modi government ‘prioritised’ publicity of Vande Bharat trains over rail safety. The party alleged that the Rail Minister’s “PR gimmicks” overshadowed the “serious deficiencies, criminal negligence and complete disregard for safety and security …

Odisha train accident: Top 10 updates you need to know
1 year, 9 months ago

Odisha train accident: Top 10 updates you need to know

Live Mint  

Odisha train tragedy: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared an update on the cause of the deadly mishap which killed 288 passengers. Here are 10 things you need to know: 1) Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that accident occurred due to a "change in electronic interlocking. 2) The Congress on Sunday demanded the resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw over the …

‘Is it correct that rail minister…?’: Congress's Surjewala asks Modi 9 questions on Odisha train accident
1 year, 9 months ago

‘Is it correct that rail minister…?’: Congress's Surjewala asks Modi 9 questions on Odisha train accident

Hindustan Times  

Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala on Sunday posed nine questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the horrific triple train accident in Odisha's Balasore, while demanding immediate sacking of railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Referring to a news report by ThePrint, Surjewala asked why the rail minister was negligent towards the “critical warning” on the failure of the signalling system. Is …

What is train ‘Kavach’ and why is it trending after Odisha train accident?
1 year, 9 months ago

What is train ‘Kavach’ and why is it trending after Odisha train accident?

Hindustan Times  

After a triple train crash in Odisha's Balasore that claimed nearly 290 lives, and injured over 800 passengers, the railways on Saturday confirmed that there was no ‘Kavach’ system installed on the trains, that could have prevented them from colliding with each other. Opposition on ‘Kavach’ system Many opposition leaders, including Maharashtra Congress's Balasaheb Thorat, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, …

’Kavach couldn’t have stopped Odisha train accident’: Vande Bharat maker
1 year, 9 months ago

’Kavach couldn’t have stopped Odisha train accident’: Vande Bharat maker

Live Mint  

The Odisha train accident which has claimed close to 300 lives has highlighted the role of the Automatic Train Protection System called ‘Kavach’ and how it could have possibly averted the Coromandel Express train accident. But, a railway expert Sudhanshu Mani who is the brain behind India's Vande Bharat Express opined that the ‘Kavach’ system could't have helped to prevent …

Amid Declining Accident Rates, Odisha Train Tragedy Throws Light on Rail Safety Concerns
1 year, 9 months ago

Amid Declining Accident Rates, Odisha Train Tragedy Throws Light on Rail Safety Concerns

News 18  

The unfortunate and tragic train accident in Odisha’s Balasore district on Friday evening has once again underscored the crucial issue of rail safety. According to government data from 2010-11, the Indian Railways network recorded a total of 139 “consequential” train accidents, resulting in 235 passenger fatalities. The ‘consequential’ accidents, as defined by the Railways, are those that have “serious repercussions …

Kavach Could Have Averted Odisha Tragedy, Says Official. How the Train Protection System Works
1 year, 9 months ago

Kavach Could Have Averted Odisha Tragedy, Says Official. How the Train Protection System Works

News 18  

Could the implementation of the ‘Kavach’ automatic train protection system have averted the three-train collision that killed more than 280 people in Balasore district of Odisha? News18 takes a look at what the Kavach system entails and whether it could have prevented or limited the Odisha train tragedy. Kavach is an automatic train protection system indigenously developed by the Railway …

Odisha Train Accident: Karnataka minister Santosh lad to monitor rescue operations of Kannadigas
1 year, 9 months ago

Odisha Train Accident: Karnataka minister Santosh lad to monitor rescue operations of Kannadigas

Hindustan Times  

Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah has appointed labor minister Santosh Lad to coordinate with the rescue operations at Odisha’s deadly train crash that killed over 250 people and injured more than 900. K'taka minister Santosh lad to monitor rescue operations of Kannadigas in Odisha In a tweet, Karnataka’s Chief Minister Office said, “Chief Minister Shri @siddaramaiah has deputed a team led …

Kavach was not available on Coromandel route, says railways; 'Why,' asks TMC
1 year, 9 months ago

Kavach was not available on Coromandel route, says railways; 'Why,' asks TMC

Hindustan Times  

Hours after 238 passengers were killed in a massive triple train collision in Odisha's Balasore district, the railways confirmed that there was no 'Kavach' system on the route, which might have stopped the express trains from colliding with each other. As a political blame game takes over the tragedy, opposition leaders blamed failure in signalling, while railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw …

Odisha accident: Railways to expedite adoption of anti-collision Kavach system
1 year, 9 months ago

Odisha accident: Railways to expedite adoption of anti-collision Kavach system

Live Mint  

New Delhi Indian Railways would fast-track plans to implement Kavach, an advanced protection technology, alongside block signalling and centralised traffic control systems on busy routes, a railway official said. Kavach system was not available on this route, said Amitabh Sharma, railways spokesperson on the train accident. The first priority would be to a speed running if trains on railway network …

Odisha train accident: PM promises stringent action against guilty; Death toll mounts to 288 I HIGHLIGHTS
1 year, 9 months ago

Odisha train accident: PM promises stringent action against guilty; Death toll mounts to 288 I HIGHLIGHTS

India TV News  

Investigators were on Saturday looking into any human error, signal failure and other possible causes behind the three-train crash in Odisha's Balasore district as officials submitted a preliminary inquiry report into the worst rail accident in India in nearly three decades that left at least 288 people dead and over 1,100 injured. While sources had earlier said a signalling failure …

Odisha rail accident: Former Railway Minister Lalu says 'Centre least bothered about passenger safety'
1 year, 9 months ago

Odisha rail accident: Former Railway Minister Lalu says 'Centre least bothered about passenger safety'

India TV News  

Odisha train accident: A day after the fatal train accident killed 288 passengers in Odisha's Balasore, former railway minister and RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav alleged that the BJP-led government at the Centre has "destroyed" the railways and claimed that sheer negligence has caused the train tragedy. Prasad, who is a former railway minister, said the government must also consider …

Not by ‘Vande Bharat’ alone
1 year, 11 months ago

Not by ‘Vande Bharat’ alone

The Hindu  

There is a touch of wry irony in the fact that today most of the news about the Indian Railways concerns Vande Bharat trains, and more particularly the fact that every new Vande Bharat train is being personally flagged off by the Prime Minister. Amid the publicity blitz and euphoria surrounding the successive introduction of Vande Bharat trains, almost on …

Railway minister inspects train protection system
3 years ago

Railway minister inspects train protection system

Deccan Chronicle  

HYDERABAD: Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnav on Friday inspected the working of ‘Kavach’ – Indian Railways’ indigenous train protection system — between Gullaguda and Chitgidda railway stations in Vikarabad district on Friday. This system is a major milestone in the history of Indian Railways which is planning to implement this system on 2,000 km during the current financial year on high-density …

Indigenous Anti-collision System 'Kavach' Tested With 2 Trains At Full Speed, Railway Minister On Board - News18
3 years ago

Indigenous Anti-collision System 'Kavach' Tested With 2 Trains At Full Speed, Railway Minister On Board - News18

News 18  

On the occasion of National Safety Day, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inspected the working of ‘Kavach’- Indian Railways’ indigenous train protection system in the Secunderabad Division of the South Central Railway zone. ‘Kavach’, which literally means armour, is being promoted by the Railways as the world’s cheapest automatic train collision protection system. https://twitter.com/AshwiniVaishnaw/status/1499708837435408387?s=20&t=aFjRQv9o63ddfdfUrgo-5A The indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection system …

Indian Railways swings into action to help a pregnant woman who fell and injured herself
4 years, 2 months ago

Indian Railways swings into action to help a pregnant woman who fell and injured herself

Op India  

On Thursday, a passenger named Ravi took to Twitter to share that his pregnant wife had twisted her ankle while stepping down from a foot-over bridge in Junagadh, Gujarat. PNR 8534375862 — Ravi 🇮🇳 January 21, 2021 As soon as Ravi requested the help, Indian Railways swung into action and asked the Divisional Railway Manager at Bhavnagar to immediately look …

Punjab BJP Delegation Seeks Railway Minister's Intervention to Resume Train Services in State
4 years, 4 months ago

Punjab BJP Delegation Seeks Railway Minister's Intervention to Resume Train Services in State

News 18  

A Punjab BJP delegation met Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday over the suspension of goods and passenger trains due to farmers’ agitations in the state, and sought his intervention to put an end to the “dire circumstances being forced on Punjabis” amid the festive season. In a letter to Goyal on behalf of the group, Punjab BJP president Ashwani …

Focus on safety, punctuality of trains: Suresh Prabhu to railway personnel
7 years, 11 months ago

Focus on safety, punctuality of trains: Suresh Prabhu to railway personnel

Deccan Chronicle  

Raipur: Union Minister Suresh Prabhu on asked the railway personnel to focus on addressing issues, particularly those related to safety and punctuality of trains, for the next one month. "From Monday onwards, for the next one month, let us focus on addressing each of the issue that we are facing, whether its related to safety, punctuality or others, and must …

Make train journeys safe: PM to railway officials after derailment
8 years, 4 months ago

Make train journeys safe: PM to railway officials after derailment

Deccan Chronicle  

Agra: On a day when over 100 people were killed in the worst rail accident in recent years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asked railways to work towards achieving the zero accident target to make train journeys safe. Describing the accident as "unfortunate", Modi asked railway officials to ensure fool-proof system in train operation to achieve zero-accident target, according …

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