New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) The number of train accidents on Indian Railways has seen a sharp decline over the years, with consequential accidents dropping by nearly 90 per cent, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told the Parliament.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, the minister said safety remains the highest priority for Indian Railways, and sustained measures have significantly improved operational safety.

The number of consequential train accidents has reduced from 135 in 2014-15 to just 14 in 2025-26 (up to February 28), he said.

Data shared by the minister showed that during 2004-05 to 2013-14, there were 1,711 consequential train accidents, resulting in 904 deaths and 3,155 injuries. This declined to 678 accidents between 2014-15 and 2023-24, with 748 deaths and 2,087 injuries.

In 2024-25, 31 such accidents were reported, leading to 18 deaths and 92 injuries, while in 2025-26 (up to February), 14 accidents resulted in 16 deaths and 28 injuries, according to him.

Vaishnaw also highlighted that the decline in accidents is the result of multiple safety initiatives, including improved track maintenance, modern signalling systems and technological upgrades.

Expenditure on safety-related activities has also increased substantially, rising from Rs 39,200 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 1,17,693 crore in 2025-26, with a further allocation of Rs 1,20,389 crore for 2026-27.

To minimise human error, electronic interlocking systems have been installed at 6,665 stations, while interlocking has been provided at over 10,153 level crossing gates.

Complete track circuiting, which helps verify track occupancy through electrical means, has been implemented at 6,669 stations.

The minister also stated that the rollout of ‘Kavach’, an indigenously developed automatic train protection (ATP) system, was adopted as a national system in 2020. The latest version of Kavach has been deployed across 1,452 route kilometres, covering key high-density corridors such as Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah routes.

Vaishnaw said continuous investments in technology and infrastructure are helping Indian Railways enhance safety and reduce accidents.

--IANS

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