Trains Derailing: What’s Behind the Ongoing Accidents in India?

Recently, India has faced a troubling number of train accidents, and just today, another incident occurred near Tata Nagar in Jharkhand. The Howrah-Mumbai Mail was involved in this mishap, with 18 of its coaches derailing, leading to the unfortunate loss of at least two lives and injuries to around 50 passengers.

This isn’t an isolated case. In fact, just two days ago, a freight train also derailed on the same route. During the past 14 months, India has witnessed four major train accidents, with over 320 casualties, highlighting a concerning trend.

Statistics reveal that nearly 70% of train accidents in India are due to derailments. A report from the government’s railway safety review for 2019-20 noted that 70 percent of such incidents involved trains coming off the tracks. Following derailments, other causes like fires and collisions accounted for about 14 and 8 percent of accidents, respectively.

In that same report, 40 derailments were recorded involving passenger and freight trains, with 17 specifically attributed to poor track conditions. Meanwhile, nine others were due to defects in trains, engines, coaches, or wagons.

Experts point out that there can be multiple reasons for a train derailing, including inadequate track maintenance, faulty coaches, and human errors during operation. Maintaining the tracks is crucial to prevent such accidents, as weather changes can cause metal tracks to expand in the heat and contract in the cold, necessitating regular upkeep.

Moreover, the National Crime Records Bureau reported a 38.2% increase in train accidents from 2021 to 2022, with the majority occurring in Maharashtra and West Bengal. Common factors for these incidents often involve driver errors, vandalism on tracks, negligence from signal operators, and faults in train machinery.

In response to these accidents, the government has been taking steps to upgrade railway infrastructure. According to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, around 5,200 kilometers of new tracks were laid in 2022 alone, with around 8,000 kilometers planned for upgrades each year to accommodate faster trains.