Indian train accident: how did the tragedy unfold? Why do accidents occur frequently? Railway safety | Train derailment | India

The train derailment collision that occurred in the Indian state of Odisha on the evening of the 2nd local time has caused thousands of casualties, making it the most serious train accident in India in 20 years. At present, the search and rescue work has basically ended. According to media reports, the accident may have been caused by signal errors or human error. Some analysts believe that while India is investing heavily in modernizing its railway system, its attention to safety issues has not kept pace.

How did the tragedy unfold?

At around 19:00 local time on the 2nd, a passenger train from Kolkata to Chennai derailed near the Bahanaja railway station in Audi Shabang, with more than 10 carriages scattered around and some carriages falling on opposite tracks.

Subsequently, a passenger train from Bangalore to Kolkata came from the opposite track and collided with a derailed carriage, causing several carriages of the train to also derail.

According to Indian media reports, the accident may have been caused by signal errors or human error.

According to a report by The Times of India on the 4th, Indian Railway Minister Ashvini Vaishnau stated that the Railway Safety Commissioner has conducted an investigation into the derailment and collision accident of Indian trains, and determined the cause of the accident and the relevant responsible persons. He pointed out that preliminary investigation showed that the electronic interlocking device in this accident had changed and caused it. The interlocking system is the core equipment in the signal system to ensure the safety of train operation.

According to foreign media reports, the passenger train from Kolkata to Chennai was supposed to be running on the main line, but received an incorrect signal to continue entering the loop. This caused the train to collide with a freight train parked on the loop at a speed of about 130 kilometers per hour. The relevant parties are still investigating whether the erroneous signal was caused by signal failure or human error.

According to the survivor's recollection, everything happened very suddenly. Due to the accident occurring at night, some passengers have already rested, while others have just finished dinner. But with the violent impact, the train carriage deviated from the track and overturned, and a nightmare came along.

Surviving passenger Anuba Das said he will never forget the scene that followed: someone and their entire family died, bodies with broken hands and feet were everywhere on the railway tracks, and blood was flowing everywhere

The rescue team then appeared at the scene of the accident, searching for the damaged carriage, pulling the survivors out of the carriage and quickly taking them to the hospital. According to Indian media citing official news from Audi Shabang on the 3rd, the on-site search and rescue work has basically ended and has shifted to cleaning and repair work. The carriages of the derailed train are being removed from the track.

Indian Prime Minister Modi also went to the accident site and hospital on the 3rd. He said that the occurrence of the accident is heartbreaking, and the government will do its best to provide treatment for the injured. Those responsible for the accident will be severely punished.

According to official confirmation from India on the 3rd, the accident has resulted in at least 288 deaths and over 800 injuries. Indian railway officials said that there were approximately 3400 passengers on the two passenger trains at that time.

The Indian Railway Minister announced that compensation of 1 million rupees will be provided for each victim, with 200000 rupees for severely injured individuals and 50000 rupees for lightly injured individuals.

The problem has a long history

As one of the largest and most complex railway systems in the world, nearly 13 million people ride nearly 14000 trains from 8000 train stations every day, shuttling along approximately 64000 kilometers of Indian tracks.

However, this transportation network, mainly built during the British colonial period, was poorly managed and frequently involved accidents.

The deadliest accident in the history of Indian railways occurred in 1981 when a passenger train derailed and fell off a bridge in Bihar, resulting in the death of approximately 750 passengers. Many of the passengers' bodies have since been unable to be found.

In recent years, although railway transportation safety in India has improved, there are still an average of hundreds of accidents occurring every year. One of the more serious accidents occurred in 2016, when a passenger train derailed in the area between Indore and Patna, causing 146 deaths.

According to Indian media "The Print" citing data from the National Bureau of Crime Statistics, 260000 people have died in railway accidents in India in the past 10 years.

The Associated Press cited an official report stating that from 2017 to 2021, there were over 2000 railway accidents in India, resulting in over 100000 deaths, with train derailments accounting for nearly 70% of all accidents. The main causes of accidents include track defects, poor maintenance, outdated signal systems, and human error.

Security issues ignored

The train accident in India's Audi Shabang has once again raised doubts about railway safety issues in India. Analysts say that while India is investing heavily in renovating and developing its railway transportation system, attention to safety issues has not kept pace.

Since Modi took office, improving India's transportation infrastructure has become a government priority. This year, the Indian government has announced that it will invest a record 2.4 trillion rupees in railways, an increase of 50% from the previous fiscal year, mainly for upgrading tracks, easing congestion, and adding new trains.

According to Cable News, a significant portion of the funding from the Indian government will be used to introduce more high-speed trains, accelerating India's notoriously slow transportation system. Previously, India had received technical, engineering, and financial support from Japan to assist in the construction of its first high-speed rail line from Mumbai to Ahmedabad.

Some other large-scale projects have also been completed or are nearing completion. Before the Audi Shabang accident, Modi had originally planned to attend the opening ceremony of another domestically produced Indian high-speed train, the "Salute to India" train.

However, the tragic accident that occurred last Friday forced Modi to change his route to the accident site, which also dealt a blow to Modi's railway renovation plan.

Prakash Kumar Sen, Director of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Kirodomar Institute of Technology in India, stated that although India's railway safety record has been improving, there is still more work to be done. In recent years, the railway department has been introducing more trains to cope with the soaring demand, but the labor force maintaining the railway network has not kept pace, and they have not received sufficient training or rest.

He also stated that the East Coast line where the accident occurred is one of the oldest and busiest routes in India's history, and it also carries the majority of India's coal and oil freight demand. Due to the old track and high load, accidents are prone to occur if not maintained properly.

Experts believe that compared to modernization, the track safety and collision protection system of the Indian railway system should be given priority consideration.

Former official of the Indian Railway Mechanical Engineering Services Authority, Svapur Gaag, said that we cannot focus solely on modern trains and ignore safety issues on the tracks. He believes that this accident should "shake the entire railway system" and prompt the Indian government to pay attention to "lax safety practices.".

"I don't expect the government to turn the key and quickly solve the problem. India's railway system is huge, and it will take time to make it safer. But it requires this determination," said Gag.