TRAIN DERAILMENT cases have become quite common in India. Kalka Express derailment, which happened on Sunday, is one amongst them in which 70 people have been killed and about 300 injured, with figures expected to go up further. In the last decade, surprisingly 2,770 rail accidents occurred on Indian Railways network killing 2,660 people and injuring more than 5,550 innocent people. The total 1,680 accidents were due to derailments and figures ended with 60%. Over 52% of the accidents were caused due to error of Railway staff. The above figure placed Indian Railways second in the world with nastiest safety measures among developing countries.
“I always fear during travel by rail, you do not know when the train will get derailed,” said school teenager.
“Indian Railways might have big network but safety measures are negligible,” added another teenager.
Earlier, former Railways Minister, and now West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee is hardly present in the Rail Bhavan; she is busy fighting the Left and is little concerned about running the department of 2.5 crores employees, one of India’s largest employer. For Indian leaders life of people is economical due to their vested interest, but they should remember it is the people who place them at higher authority.
Data shows that over 60,000 safety related posts have been lying vacant in the Railways, while the department is taking its own time in implementing key technologies. The need of the hour is active leadership for the Railways department, who can grow above narrow interests. Also, there is need for change in organisational structure of the railways with Railway board taking responsibility for people’s safety. The government should take direct responsibility for crores of passengers by providing populist program and safety measures rather than cautious vision.
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