Parliament Question: Failure in Signalling System

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3934 ANSWERED ON 27.03.2026 FAILURE IN SIGNALLING SYSTEM 3934 SMT. SAGARIKA GHOSE: Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state: (a) number of failures in signalling system recorded in the Indian Railways since 2020, year-wise; (b) detail of any delays in attending to deficiencies pointed out during inspection by safety departments; and (c) whether ₹ 573 crore in avoidable revenue losses flagged by Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) could have funded preventive audits, compliance training or tech upgrades to avert such failures? ANSWER MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW) (a) to (c): Safety is accorded the highest priority on Indian Railways. As a consequence of various safety measures taken over the years, there has been a steep decline in the number of accidents. Number of Consequential Train Accidents has reduced as shown in the table below:- Year Consequential Accidents 2014-15 135 2025-26 (upto 28.02.2026) 14 (90% lesser) Another important index showing improvement in safety in train operations is Consequential Accident Index, the details of which are as under:- Consequential Accident Index:- Year Accident Index 2014-15 0.11 2024-25 0.03 (73% lesser) Page 1 of 6 §This index measures number of consequential accidents as a ratio of total running kilometers of all trains. Accident Index = 234 165 135 55 31 14 2005-06 2009-10 2014-15 2019-20 2024-25 2025-26 (Feb 2026) The various safety measures taken to enhance safety in train operations are as under:- 1. On Indian Railways, the expenditure on Safety related activities has increased over the years as under:- Expenditure/Budget on Safety related activities Year (Rs. In Cr.) 2013-14 39,200 2022-23 87,336 2023-24 1,01,662 2024-25 1,14,022 2025-26 1,17,693 2026-27 1,20,389 2. To improve reliability, Electrical/Electronic Interlocking Systems with centralized operation points and signals in place of old mechanical signalling have been provided at 6665 stations as on 28.02.2026, out of which Electronic Interlocking have been provided at 3870 stations. stnediccA niarT laitneuqesnoC fo .oN No. of consequential accidents No. of trains X million kilometers run3. Interlocking of Level Crossing (LC) Gates has been provided at 10,153 Level Crossing Gates up to 28.02.2026 for enhancing safety at LC Gates. 4. Complete Track Circuiting of stations to enhance safety by verification of track occupancy by electrical means has been provided at 6,665 stations up to 28.02.2026. 5. Indian Railways has gone for implementation of indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system, which required safety certification of highest order (SIL 4). Kavach has been adopted as a National ATP system in July 2020. Based on deployment of Kavach version 3.2 on 1465 RKm on South Central Railway and experience gained, further improvements were made. Finally, Kavach specification version 4.0 was approved by RDSO on 16.07.2024. After extensive and elaborate trials, Kavach Version 4.0 has been successfully commissioned on 1,638 Route Kilometres, covering the high density Delhi- Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah routes as below: SN Section Progress (Route Km) (1) Delhi-Mumbai route: I Junction cabin – Palwal – Mathura –Nagda section 667 Ii Vadodara - Ahmedabad section 96 Iii Vadodara - Virar section 336 (2) Delhi – Howrah route: i Gaya Sarmatanr section 93 ii Chota Ambana - Bardhaman – Howrah section 260 iii Kanpur-Subedarganj section 186 Further, track side Kavach implementation work has been taken up on 24,427 RKM covering all GQ, GD, HDN and identified sections of Indian Railways. 6. Detailed instructions on issues related with safety of Signalling, e.g. mandatory correspondence check, alteration work protocol, preparation of completion drawing, etc. have been issued. 7. System of disconnection and reconnection for S&T equipment as per protocol has been re- emphasized. 8. All locomotives are equipped with Vigilance Control Devices (VCD) to improve alertness of Loco Pilots. 9. Retro-reflective sigma boards are provided on the mast which is located two OHE masts prior to the signals in electrified territories to alert the crew about the signal ahead when visibility is low due to foggy weather. Page 3 of 6 §10. A GPS based Fog Safety Device (FSD) is provided to loco pilots in fog affected areas which enables loco pilots to know the distance of the approaching landmarks like signals, level crossing gates, etc. 11. Modern track structure consisting of 60kg, 90 Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) rails, Prestressed Concrete Sleeper (PSC) Normal/Wide base sleepers with elastic fastening, fan shaped layout turnout on PSC sleepers, Steel Channel/H-beam Sleepers on girder bridges is used while carrying out primary track renewals. 12. Mechanisation of track laying activity through use of track machines like PQRS, TRT, T-28 etc. to reduce human errors. 13. Maximizing supply of 130m/260m long rail panels for increasing progress of rail renewal and avoiding welding of joints, thereby improving safety. 14. Ultrasonic Flaw Detection (USFD) testing of rails to detect flaws and timely removal of defective rails. 15. Laying of longer rails, minimizing the use of Alumino Thermic Welding and adoption of better welding technology for rails i.e., Flash Butt Welding. 16. Monitoring of track geometry by OMS (Oscillation Monitoring System) and TRC (Track Recording Cars). 17. Patrolling of railway tracks to look out for weld/rail fractures. 18. The use of Thick Web Switches and Weldable CMS Crossing in turnout renewal works. 19. Inspections at regular intervals are carried out to monitor and educate staff for observance of safe practices. 20. Web based online monitoring system of track assets viz. Track database and decision support system has been adopted to decide rationalized maintenance requirement and optimize inputs. 21. Detailed instructions on issues related with safety of Track, e.g. integrated block, corridor block, worksite safety, monsoon precautions, etc. have been issued. 22. Preventive maintenance of railway assets (Coaches & Wagons) is undertaken to ensure safe train operations. 23. Replacement of conventional ICF design coaches with LHB design coaches is being done. 24. All unmanned level crossings (UMLCs) on Broad Gauge (BG) route have been eliminated by January 2019. 25. Safety of Railway Bridges is ensured through regular inspection of Bridges. The requirement of repair/rehabilitation of Bridges is taken up based upon the conditions assessed during these inspections. 26. Indian Railways has displayed Statutory “Fire Notices” for widespread passenger information in all coaches. Fire posters are provided in every coach so as to educate and alert passengers regarding Page 4 of 6 §various Do’s and Don’ts to prevent fire. These include messages regarding not carrying any inflammable material, explosives, prohibition of smoking inside the coaches, penalties etc. 27. Production Units are providing Fire detection and suppression system in newly manufactured Power Cars and Pantry Cars, Fire and Smoke detection system in newly manufactured coaches. Progressive fitment of the same in existing coaches is also underway by Zonal Railways in a phased manner. 28. Regular counselling and training of staff is undertaken. 29. Concept of Rolling Block introduced in Indian Railways (Open Lines) General Rules vide Gazette notification dated 30.11.2023, wherein work of integrated maintenance/ repair/replacement of assets is planned up to 52 weeks in advance on rolling basis and executed as per plan. 30. Other reliability enhancement measures by embedding redundancies into the various signalling systems are being incorporated viz provision of dual detection systems, redundancy in power supplies and redundancy in transmission media etc. 31. Provision of power operated lifting barriers at interlocked level crossing gates with sliding boom to enhance reliability for improvement in train operation. The details of the Safety related works related to better maintenance practices, Technological improvements, better infrastructure and rolling stock etc. undertaken by Railways are tabulated below:- 2004-05 to 2014-25 Vs. S.N. Item 2014-15 to 2024-25 2013-14 2004-14 Technological Improvements 1. Use of high-quality rails 57,450 Km 1.43 Lakh Km More than 2 (60 Kg) (Km) times 2. Longer Rail Panels 9,917 Km 77,522 Km Nearly 8 times (260m) (Km) 3. Electronic Interlocking 837 Stations 3,691 Stations More than 4 (Stations) times 4. Fog Pass Safety Devices As on 31.03.14: As on 31.03.25: 25,939 288 times (Nos.) 90 Nos. Nos. 5. Thick Web Switches (Nos.) Nil 28,301 Nos. Better Maintenance Practices 1. Primary Rail Renewal (Track 32,260 Km 49,941 Km 1.5 times Km) 2. USFD (Ultra Sonic Flaw 79.43 Lakh 2 Crore More than 2 Page 5 of 6 §detection) Testing of Welds times (Nos.) 3. Weld failures (Nos.) In 2013-14: In 2024-25: 90 % reduction 3699 Nos. 370 Nos. 4. Rail fractures (Nos.) In 2013-14: In 2024-25: More than 88% 2548 Nos. 289 Nos. reduction Better Infrastructure and Rolling Stock 1. New Track KM added (Track 14,985 Km 34,428 Km More than 2 Km) times 2. Flyovers (RoBs)/Underpasses 4,148 Nos. 13,808 Nos. More than 3 (RUBs) (Nos.) times 3. Unmanned Level crossings As on 31.03.14: As on 31.03.24:Nil Removed (Nos.) on BG 8,948 (All eliminated by 31.01.19) 4. Manufacture of LHB Coaches 2,337 Nos. 42,677 More than 18 (Nos.) times Strengthening, upgradation, modernisation and improvement of Signalling infrastructure is a continuous and ongoing process over Indian Railways. Indian Railway is continuously modernizing current infrastructure of its signalling system which resulted in signalling failures reduction by about 44.5% in year 2024-25 as compared to year 2019-20. CAG Report 5 of 2025 for the year ending March 2023 consists of audit findings relating to compliance issues in respect of the Ministry of Railways and its various field units. These are under examination for furnishing ATNs on the recommendations of the report. ***** Page 6 of 6 §