Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw underlined that the number of train accidents in the country has drastically reduced by nearly 89 percent, declining from 135 accidents in 2014-15 to just 16 in 2025-26. Writing in a national publication today, Mr Vaishnaw noted that safety-related expenditure in Indian Railways has increased from 39 thousand two hundred crore rupees in 2013-14 to one lakh seventeen thousand six hundred ninety three crore rupees in the year 2025-26.
He informed that an expenditure of over 1 lakh 20 thousand crore rupees is planned for the year 2026-27. The Minister added that Railway safety is measured globally through fatalities or accidents per billion passenger-kilometres, and the reduction in the number of accidents in India showcases the clearest proof of systemic change. Mr Vaishnaw noted that the wider adoption of 60 kg rails, longer welded rail panels, improved welding techniques, and advanced ultrasonic flaw detection testing have significantly reduced rail fractures and weld failures by 92 per cent and 93 per cent.
Underlining the critical need of technological adoption, he highlighted that GPS-based Fog Safety Devices, which are critical for loco pilots in low-visibility winter conditions, have been scaled up sharply from just 90 units to nearly 30 thousand deployed across fog-affected zones.
