A Tale of Missed Priorities and Forgotten Safety

Newsreel Asia Insight #31
Nov. 1, 2023

On Oct. 29, tragedy struck Vizianagaram district in Andhra Pradesh. A train collision claimed 14 lives and left 40 people injured. What makes this especially jarring? Just five months ago, over 280 passengers died in a triple-train collision in Odisha. In August, southern India witnessed another derailment, taking nine lives. All while the government touted high-speed Vande Bharat trains as the future.

It's time to ask: are we missing the point?

Train accidents, by their nature, are colossal tragedies. Lives are lost. Families are shattered. And yet, each accident brings the same set of responses—official statements, financial aid and promises of investigation. This time was no different. Chief Minister Y.S.R. Jagan Mohan Reddy announced financial aid—1 million rupees for families of the deceased, 250,000 rupees for serious injuries, and 50,000 rupees for minor injuries, NDTV reported.

But what about prevention?

After the accident, senior railway officials pointed to a glaring omission—the absence of “Kavach,” or the Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), according to The Hindu.

Think of Kavach as a vigilant guardian that watches for a specific slip-up: when a train driver blows past a signal—officially termed as “Signal Passed at Danger” or SPAD. This is the number one culprit behind train crashes. If Kavach spots another train too close for comfort on the same track, it’s not just a passive observer. It sounds an alert for the driver, seizes control of the brakes, and can even grind the train to a complete stop—all by itself.

Had it been in place, the tragedy could have been averted. Kavach is no rookie technology; it is operational over 1,200 km of the South Central Railway zone. Yet its spread is agonisingly slow, with experts estimating a decade for full implementation across India’s 70,000 km rail network, according to Mint.

Why is there such a gap?

The answer lies in our priorities. A CAG report highlighted the urgent need for basic maintenance funding for railway infrastructure. Yet, where did the government focus? On high-speed Vande Bharat trains. The allure of speed and modernity has seemingly blinded us to the fundamentals—safety and maintenance.

The government seems to have missed the mark on putting “safety first.” Initially, the game plan for the railways was crystal clear—high-speed trains would rule the roost on jam-packed routes between New Delhi and Mumbai, as well as New Delhi and Howrah. As for the second fiddle? That would be equipping trains with Kavach, especially on those busy tracks managed by high-tech control centres. But alas, priorities seem to have shifted.

Now, finally, there’s talk of fast-tracking Kavach installations on these and other high-density routes. But why did it take repeated tragedies to refocus our attention on what should have been a priority all along?

Meanwhile, the blame game has begun. Initial reports suggest that the fault may lie with the Vizag-Rayagada loco pilot, who also died in the collision. Yet, could this accident have been avoided by something as basic as proper signalling?

Railway Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw tweeted updates on injured passengers and ex-gratia compensation. That’s well and good, but what about proactive measures? A 50 billion-rupees tender for Kavach is planned for next year, aiming to cover 6,000 km. While this is double the first tender issued in 2021, we must ask—why aren’t we moving faster? Why is there no specific timeline for complete Kavach implementation?

We are a country that prides itself on its rail network. Trains are not just a mode of transport; they are woven into our social fabric. Each accident doesn’t just derail a train; it derails our collective confidence in a system that millions rely on daily.

Trains may fail us, but it’s time we ensure our priorities don’t. We owe it to the 14 lives lost in Vizianagaram, to the 280 in Odisha, and to the countless others affected by railway tragedies. Let’s get our tracks in order—before another train leaves the station.