In just the first seven months of the year, there have already been 19 train derailments, resulting in loss of lives and infrastructure, with a minimum of three cases every alternate month.
While this has raised doubts about the condition of existing tracks and carriages, businessline analysis shows that despite rising railway revenue, the share of spending on track renewals has declined. Even as a percentage of total capital expense, the share for renewing existing tracks is trending down.
Train derailment occurs when a rail coach or wagon comes off its tracks, leading to a loss of control and accidents. In India, derailments typically occur due to poorly maintained tracks, operational errors, outdated signalling systems, climate, and others.
Railway revenue and track maintenance
Railway revenue in 2022-23 was ₹1.2 lakh crore, and the track renewal expenses in that year were 13.5 per cent of the revenue. In FY24(RE), total railway revenue rose to ₹1.5 lakh crore, but spending on track renewal dipped to 11 per cent of revenue. As per last week’s Budget, the railway revenue is budgeted at Rs 1.8 lakh crore in FY25 (BE), and the track renewal spends are pegged at 9.7 per cent of this revenue.
Similarly, though the overall capital expense for railways is rising with each budget, a large portion is going towards new line construction at around 15 per cent on average in the last three years. Track renewal spending made up 14.1 per cent of total capital expense in FY22, which dipped to 10.3 per cent in FY23 and has further dipped to 7 per cent in FY24 (RE). Gauge conversion spending totalled 2 per cent of the total capital expense in FY22, decreased to 1.6 per cent in FY23, and marginally increased to 1.8 per cent in FY24 (RE).
A ‘Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India on Derailments in Indian Railways’ published in December 2022 specifies that investment in track renewals is shrinking. It states, “There was decline in funds allotted for track renewals. The funds allocated to track renewal works was also not fully utilized. The decline in fund allocation and non-utilization of allocated funds would have adverse impact on timely completion of track renewal works. As mentioned in para number 2.4 of the report, out of 1,129 derailments from 2017-18 to 2020-21, 289 derailments (around 26 per cent) were linked to track renewals.”
Derailment causes and solutions
The report identifies 24 factors responsible for these incidents, including track maintenance, deviations of track parameters beyond permissible limits, and defects in coaches and wagons.
July alone has seen four train derailments. On July 31, two wagons of a goods train derailed near Rangapani railway station in West Bengal. On July 29, the Howrah-Mumbai train derailed in Jharkhand, resulting in the deaths of two people and injuring 20 others. On July 18, the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express derailed in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, leading to two deaths and several injuries.
Data from the Rajya Sabha indicate that derailments are the most common type of rail accidents. There were 27 derailments in 2021-22, which increased to 36 cases in 2022-23. Collision cases are the second most common, with 2 in 2021-22 and 6 in 2022-23. The railway ministry also informed the Upper House that technologies such as the Plasser Quick Relaying System and others have been deployed to address derailment.