{"id":1646,"date":"2023-06-14T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-06-14T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current_affairs\/uncategorized\/14-06-2023\/balasore-train-accident-and-corrective-measures\/"},"modified":"2023-06-14T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-06-14T00:00:00","slug":"balasore-train-accident-and-corrective-measures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/14-06-2023\/balasore-train-accident-and-corrective-measures","title":{"rendered":"Balasore Train Accident and Corrective Measures"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n<\/p>\n

In Context<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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The recent rail accident in Balasore in Odisha, involving the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>collision of three trains<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, is a tragic reminder of the challenges that India\u2019s Rail services are facing.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The Balasore train accident<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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The derailment of 10 to 12 coaches of the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express caused them to fall onto the opposite track. Subsequently, the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express collided with the derailed coaches, leading to the derailment of three to four of its own coaches.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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Adding to the tragedy, a goods train was also involved in the crash.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
At least 275 people were killed and over 900 were injured.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
About India\u2019s Rail services<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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The Indian Railways carries <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>nearly 15 million passengers <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>every day now compared to the peak of 23 million a day the year before the COVID-19 pandemic.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
India has an ambitious plan to improve its <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>rail infrastructure<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, and in the year 2023-24, \u00e2\u201a\u00b92.4-lakh crore has been allocated for capital expenditure.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
In 2021, the Prime Minister announced that <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>75 new semi-high speed trains<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> labelled <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Vande Bharat <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>would be started over 75 weeks, and several have been started already.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
There has been attention on passenger amenities also, but nothing can be more important than safety.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Though such deadly train accidents are usually not too frequent, they do recur occasionally.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Challenges for Indian Railways<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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CAG report on derailment and other safety issues:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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The CAG report on derailment and other safety issues on Indian Railways had pointed out the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>huge flaws<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>in the system<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> in 2020.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
The report <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>audited the derailments <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>in the four years up to 2020\u201321, noted that the share of money spent on the priority-one safety projects under the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> fell during this period.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Further, the<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> allocations for track renewals<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>declined <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>from `9,608 crore to `7,416 crore.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
To make matters worse, even the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>allocated fund was not fully used<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Similarly, the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>length of the tracks <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>actually renewed always fell short of targets.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
This is in spite of the fact that a quarter of the 1,127 train derailments was linked to<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> inadequate track renewals<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Low priority for safety:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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Of the total capital expenditure of Rs 1,39,245 crore in 2020-21, the amount spent on \u2018Track Renewal\u2019 was 8.6 percent and on<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> \u2018Signaling and Telecommunication\u2019 <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>was 1.4 percent, showing the low priority to matters that are crucial for safety.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Low on funds:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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Depreciation Reserve Fund:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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The India Railway has a Depreciation Reserve Fund for replacement and renewal of over-aged assets. The Fund had a<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> meagre balance<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> of Rs 585 crore on March 31, 2021.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
CAG observed \u201cthe <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>amount is insignificant <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>compared to the actual amount required.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Railway Safety Fund:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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In April 2001, a Railway Safety Fund was created. Its scope was enlarged to include Safety Works. The source of funds was through transfer of the cess on diesel. At end of 2020-21, the Fund had a balance of only Rs 512 crore.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
2021 CAG Report:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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CAG submitted another report for the year ended March 2021.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
It observed, \u201c<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Proper maintenance of the railway track <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>is a<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> pre-requisite <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>for the<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> train operation without accidents.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Non-deployment of TRCs:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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Track Recording Cars (TRC)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> are used for inspection.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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The shortfall in TRC inspections ranged from 30 percent in one zonal railway to 100 percent in four zonal railways.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
The CAG concluded that \u201cthe non-deployment of TRCs led to <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>non-checking of track parameters<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> having implications on overall safety of train operations including derailments.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
The main causes were:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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Poor planning,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Idle track machines,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Vacancies in the work force and\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Lack of training of Permanent Way staff.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Ill-prioritization:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Priority for new trains over track maintenance and renewal;\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Vande Bharat and Tejas trains over capital expenditure on signaling and telecommunication;\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
vanity projects (Bullet Train) over filling of the humongous number of vacancies in sanctioned posts; and speed over safety.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
To make matters worse, the rollout of the much-acclaimed <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Kavach<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, an <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>automatic train protection system<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> designed to ensure zero accidents, was not given the priority it deserved.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Technical constraints:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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In the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Signal and Telecommunication department<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, the major constraint was \u2018system\/technological deficiencies\u2019.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Most serious accidents occurred due to collisions and Signal Passing At Danger (SPAD).\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
SPAD was caused by violation of Rules, working beyond stipulated duty hours, defective vigilance control devices and absence of route learning of loco crew.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Recent reforms proposed by Indian Railways<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Allowing private entry, including in running of private trains;\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Changing the composition of the Railway Board;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Decentralised decision-making to zones\/divisions and even further below;\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Separating the core functions of running trains from non-core functions like schools and medical services;\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Setting up a regulator;\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Unifying various railway services; Transit to commercial accounting and<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Uniting the Railway Budget with the Union Budget.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
Way ahead<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Accidents per million train kilometre have fallen over the last decade, but <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>poor maintenance of tracks<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> and the<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> rolling stock <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>and <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>overstretched staff<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> are problems that the Railways can no longer camouflage with glitzy facades.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
The accident in Balasore should prompt India\u2019s railways development plans onto the right track.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Safety measures including anti-collision systems<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> are expanding, but evidently not at an adequate pace.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
More important will be the corrective measures by the Railways at the operational and planning levels.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
It will have to find more<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> resources to modernise and rationalise<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> its priorities.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Daily Mains Question<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\t\t\t\u00a0<\/p>\n
[Q]<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> What are the challenges faced by India\u2019s rail services? Analyze the corrective safety measures that can be undertaken post Balasore train accident.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n
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In Context The recent rail accident in Balasore in Odisha, involving the collision of three trains, is a tragic reminder of the challenges that India\u2019s Rail services are facing. The Balasore train accident The derailment of 10 to 12 coaches of the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express caused them to fall onto the opposite track. Subsequently, the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1647,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[48,26],"class_list":["post-1646","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editorial-analysis","tag-disaster-management","tag-gs-3"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2023\/07\/3380049Screenshot_2.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1646","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1646"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1646\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1647"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1646"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1646"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1646"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}