Rail mishaps dropped 90% since Lalu's time, Vaishnaw tells Rajya Sabha

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told Rajya Sabha that rail accidents fell 90 per cent since 2005-06, from 698 to 73, due to investment in tech like Kavach, stronger rails, and safety focus

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday announced a dramatic 90 per cent reduction in train accidents and derailments compared to 2005-06, crediting focused safety measures and technological upgrades for the achievement, reported The Indian Express.

 

Speaking in the Rajya Sabha during a discussion on the Railway Ministry’s performance, Vaishnaw said, “In 2005-06, when Lalu Prasad was the railway minister, there were 234 accidents. If you add derailments then the number goes up to 698. Meaning, average two per day. When Mamata Banerjee was railway minister, there were 165 accidents and if you add derailments, it goes up to 395, meaning on average one per day. When Mallikarjun Kharge was the minister, there were 118 accidents and if you add derailments, the number reaches 381. Meaning more than one per day… Today (2024-2025), there have been 30 accidents and if you add derailments, the number goes up to 73. Meaning the number which was around 700 has come down to 80 which is [almost] one-tenth.”

 

 

Highlighting a “razor sharp” focus on safety, Vaishnaw said the railways have taken multiple technological steps to reduce risks. These include using longer, higher tensile strength rails, electronic interlocking at stations and level crossings, deployment of fog safety devices, and the rollout of the indigenously developed ‘Kavach’ train collision avoidance system.

 

“If we compare… There is a small parameter of weld failure. There has been a reduction of 92 per cent. Rail fractures, which were around 2,500 in 2013-14, have come down to 250. There has been a 91 per cent reduction,” the minister said.

 

Employment and recruitment milestones 

Vaishnaw also addressed recruitment, stating that over 500,000 people have been employed by the Railways in the last 10 years. “During UPA [2004 to 2014], it was 400,000… As we speak, the process for recruitment of 100,000 employees is ongoing,” he said.

 

Slamming Opposition members for alleging delays in recruitment, he said they had “misled the House”. As evidence, he pointed to the recent examination for loco pilots, which was conducted across 346 centres in 156 cities, in 15 languages, and saw 18.4 lakh candidates participate.

 

He said 23.2 million candidates had taken exams for Level 1 to Level 6 positions and vacancies were filled without any issues. “Of the total of over 1.2 million employees of the railways, 40 per cent were recruited in the last 10 years,” Vaishnaw said.

 

Replying to the Discussion on the working of the Ministry of Railways in Rajya Sabha.  A thread on Railways’ performance???????????? pic.twitter.com/i8aJrMo191

— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) March 17, 2025

 

Focus on common people, not just premium trains

 

Responding to concerns from Opposition MPs about premium trains getting priority, the minister assured that the government is committed to serving the poor and middle class. “The government of Modi-ji is dedicated to the poor, and middle class,” he said, adding that non-AC coaches have been increased.

 

Crowd management and stampede incident

 

Regarding crowd control during events like Maha Kumbh, Vaishnaw said the Railways took several measures to handle the situation efficiently. On the recent stampede at New Delhi Railway Station, he called it a “tragic incident” and assured that all CCTV footage and data were secure. “A high-level committee is probing the incident,” he said.

 

Railways’ financial health and global standing

 

Vaishnaw further said Indian Railways has recovered from the setbacks of the Covid-19 pandemic and is now financially stable. “The railways has a revenue of Rs 2.78 trillion, while its expenses are Rs 2.75 trillion. All the big expenses are being met by the railways on its own,” he said.

 

He highlighted that India is now among the top three countries globally in cargo carrying capacity, alongside China and the US, moving 1.6 billion tonnes this year. “Track construction has crossed 34,000 km, which is more than the entire train network of Germany,” Vaishnaw said.

 

Railway modernisation and exports

 

Looking ahead, the minister revealed that in the NDA government’s third term, all ICF (Integral Coach Factory) coaches will be replaced by modern LHB (Linke-Hofmann-Busch) coaches.

 

“A total of 1,040 locomotives are being produced this year, which is more than the US and Europe combined,” Vaishnaw said.

 

He also spoke about India’s growing footprint in railway exports, noting that metro coaches are now being exported to Australia. Additionally, bogeys are being sent to the UK, Saudi Arabia, France, and Australia. Propulsion parts are being exported to France, Mexico, Romania, Spain, Germany, and Italy, while passenger coaches are reaching Mozambique, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Locomotives are also being sent to Mozambique, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Bangladesh.