30 dead as Dehradun-Varanasi Express train derails in UP

The Rae Bareli mishap exposes chinks in Railways' safety performance

Indian Railways' safety record has touched a new low with the current financial year witnessing as many as 80 train accidents with 123 lives lost - the highest in the past four years.

In the latest accident, eight persons were killed and 30 were injured after the Dehradun-Varanasi Janta Express train derailed 30 km from Rae Bareli district in Uttar Pradesh at 9:10 am on Friday, the rail ministry said. However, local media reports quoted Ajay Kuthia, general manager, Northern Railway as saying the toll had touched 30.

Ambulances carrying teams of doctors were rushed to the accident site from King George Medical College and Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences in Lucknow to attend to those injured and gas cutters were arranged to cut open the crushed compartments to pull out trapped passengers. Around 100 beds were reserved in Lucknow hospitals to cater to the injured.

The accident impacted the engine and two coaches of the train including one general compartment. "While this train was entering Bachhrawan station, the loco pilot of the train overshot the signal and entered into the sand hump, causing derailment of train engine and two coaches. Injured passengers have been admitted to nearby hospitals," the rail ministry said in a statement.

The ministry added that rail minister Suresh Prabhu, who is attending to his Parliamentary duties, is monitoring the situation and has directed Railway Board Chairman A K Mittal; Member Traffic Ajay Shukla; and General Manager of Northern Railway to rush to the accident site.

The ministry has ordered an enquiry under Commissioner of Railway Safety and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of the kin of the dead, Rs 50,000 each to grievously injured passengers and Rs 20,000 to those who sustained simple injuries in the accident. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has also announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh to the next of the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured.

The accident follows another mishap in February when 10 passengers had died and 60 injured after nine coaches of the Bangalore-Ernakulam Intercity Express derailed near the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border. Earlier, in October 2014, two speeding passenger trains had collided near Gorakhpur in UP, leaving 12 dead.

According to the ministry, 57 of the 80 train accidents in the current financial year (up to February) occurred due to the "failure of railway staff", while eight accidents were the result of failure of "other than railway staff" and another eight accidents were "incidental".

The word "safety" figured 12 times in Prabhu's railway budget speech last month. The rail budget talked about preparing an action plan for areas where accidents occur, a five-year corporate safety plan by June 2015, examination of pending recommendations by Anil Kakodkar committee on safety by April 2015, developing warning system for road users at unmanned railway level crossings (UMLCs), elimination of UMLCs, and development of Train Protection and Warning System.

The rail ministry wants to spend Rs 8.5 lakh crore over the next five years on key priority areas. This includes Rs 1.27 lakh crore planned to be spent under the 'safety' head for track renewals, construction of road over-bridges and under-bridges, signalling and telecom-related projects.