Human failure single largest cause of train accidents:report

New Delhi, May 23 (UNI) The number of train accidents have come down from 473 in 2000-01 to 234 in 2005-06, says a report which also reveals 'human failure' as the single largest cause for mishaps on the track.

During the preceding five years, the Commission of Railway Safety inquired into 28.5 train accidents per year on an average and there were 131 passenger fatalities every year in serious train accidents on an average. The passenger fatalities in the year 2005-06 were 177.

''Human failure continues to be the single largest cause for 88.3 per cent of all consequential train accidents which occurred on the Railways during the year 2005-06," said the report.

The Commissioners of Railway Safety inspected 185.454 km of new lines, 249.756 km of doubling works, 721.803 km of gauge conversion works and 598.695 km of railway electrification works for their suitability for carriage of passengers and introduction of electric traction. These figures include the opening of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation lines also.

During 2005-06, investigations into 23 train accidents were carried out by the Commissioners which required statutory inquiry and were considered serious by them.

The damage to railway property from all consequential train accidents was of the order of Rs. 41.75 crores. Failure of driving crew accounted for 44.45 per cent of the train collisions. There were 75 accidents at level crossings out of which 69 occurred mainly on account of negligence of road users.

Based on statutory inquiry conducted into serious train accidents, the Commission of Railway Safety has made 133 recommendations to the Railway Ministry to improve safety and avoid recurrence of such accidents in future.

UNI