Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday asserted that safety is accorded the highest priority on the Indian Railways as a result of which accidents have registered sharp decline.
Replying to a question in Lok Sabha today, Vaishnaw said, the number of railway accidents, including derailment incidents have reduced drastically as a result of the various safety measures implemented over the years. He said, consequential train accidents have dropped from 135 in 2014-15 to just two recorded in 2026-27.
Vaishnaw highlighted that more than five lakh 41 thousand crore rupees have been spent on safety-related activities over the last five financial years. He said that all locomotives are equipped with Vigilance Control Devices to improve the alertness of Loco Pilots. The Minister said that a GPS-based Fog Safety Device is provided to loco pilots in fog-affected areas, which enables loco pilots to know the distance of the approaching landmarks like signals and level crossing gates.
Mishaps have declined significantly as a result of the various safety measures implemented over the years. He said, consequential train accidents have dropped from 135 in 2014-15 to just two recorded in 2026-27. Vaishnaw highlighted that more than five lakh 41 thousand crore rupees have been spent on safety-related activities over the last five financial years. He said that all locomotives are equipped with Vigilance Control Devices to improve the alertness of Loco Pilots. The Minister said that a GPS-based Fog Safety Device is provided to loco pilots in fog-affected areas, which enables loco pilots to know the distance of the approaching landmarks like signals and level crossing gates.
In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said Indian Railways serves about 58 crore meals every year, and only 0.0008 per cent of food quality-related complaints are received on an average. He said that during the last three years appropriate penal actions have been taken by IRCTC in this regard.
He informed that these actions included the imposition of fines amounting to over five crore rupees, the issuance of 54 show-cause notices, and the termination of six contracts, along with the debarment of licensees for violations of food quality and hygiene. The Minister informed that regular and surprise inspections are conducted by Railway, IRCTC officials, including Food Safety Officers, to ensure quality, hygiene, safety and regulatory compliance. Vaishnaw informed that CCTV Cameras have been installed in Base Kitchens for real-time and better monitoring of food preparation.
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