The Railways certainly isn’t chugging along smoothly when it comes to executing a plan that would ensure the safe running of trains. So its been slammed in a performance audit conducted by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) for failing to meet many of the targets set by its Corporate Safety Plan, the first phase of which included the period from 2003 to 2008.
The CAG report has said that among the targets that the railways has failed to achieve are those concerning the replacement of overaged locomotives and technological improvement in the maintenance of tracks and bridges.
More alarmingly, the report has said that vacancies continue to exist in all departments that come under the “safety” category in all railway zones. This isn’t all. It has also noted that even though “human error proved to be the major cause of many accidents and resultant loss of life, Indian Railways failed to provide improved facilities for the running staff and modernisation and upgradation of training facilities.”
This should be cause for concern given that the last two major rail accidents in the country have both involved rain collisions. The Railways and its minister, Mamata Banerjee, had attributed the first one involving the Gyaneswari Express to “sabotage”. As for the more recent one in July when the Uttar Banga Express collided with the Vananchal Express, the railways had blamed it on “human error” though “conspiracy” theories were also floated by it and the minister. In the case of the running staff, CAG has in fact suggested: “Since human error contributes to a major part of accidents, Indian Railways should strictly ensure that the modernisation and upgradation of training facility to the staff is completed on time.” It has also asked the railways to fill all vacancies in the safety category.
Regarding renewal of tracks, the report has said that by the end of March 2008, an amount of nearly Rs 598 crore remained under the Special Railway Safety Fund of the railways. The amount was later transferred to the Depreciation Reserve Fund (DRF).
CAG has said that funds utilisation from the Railway Safety Fund was less than 65 per cent.