India witnessed 21,803 deaths in 24,678 railway accidents in 2023, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), underscoring persistent safety challenges on the country’s rail network.
As per the data, majority of fatalities were caused by passengers falling from moving trains or being struck while crossing tracks, with Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh reporting the highest numbers.
The year 2024 also saw incidents contributing to the toll. On June 17, a collision between a goods train and the Sealdah-Agartala Kanchanjunga Express near Rangapani railway station in West Bengal claimed 11 lives and injured over 60 passengers.
Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes as rescue teams worked to evacuate people trapped in derailed coaches.
Another accident occurred on October 11 near Kavaraipettai in Tamil Nadu, when the Bagmati Express collided with a stationary goods train, resulting in the derailment of 13 coaches and leaving at least 19 people injured. Authorities have launched investigations to determine the causes of these incidents.
Railway experts point to a combination of infrastructure gaps, signal failures, and human error as key factors behind these accidents. “Despite technological upgrades, accidents continue to occur, often due to lapses in monitoring and maintenance,” a senior railway official said.
The Odisha train collision on June 2, 2023, which killed 296 people, remains the deadliest rail accident in recent years, highlighting the urgent need for safety reforms.
Railway authorities have called for enhanced safety protocols, regular track inspections, and stricter monitoring of train operations, while civil society groups and commuter organizations have urged the government to accelerate reforms to prevent further tragedies and ensure accountability.
- News Deskhttps://thekashmiriyat.co.uk/author/kashmiriyat/
- News Deskhttps://thekashmiriyat.co.uk/author/kashmiriyat/
- News Deskhttps://thekashmiriyat.co.uk/author/kashmiriyat/
- News Deskhttps://thekashmiriyat.co.uk/author/kashmiriyat/
