Indian Railways Electrifies Safety with Signaling Upgrade

Indian Railways enhances passenger and operational safety by upgrading its signaling system. The significant reduction in accidents and implementation of modern technologies such as electronic interlocking at stations and level crossing gates mark a substantial improvement in rail safety from 2014 to 2024.

Indian Railways has marked a pivotal advancement in rail safety through a substantial upgrade of its signaling system, an initiative aimed at bolstering passenger protection and efficient operations across its sprawling network. A noteworthy development is the commissioning of electronic interlocking at New Delhi's Shakurbasti station.

This upgrade replaces one of the nation's oldest mechanical interlocking systems with a modern VDU-based system, enhancing operational safety significantly. Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, in a recent Lok Sabha address, highlighted a dramatic drop in annual accidents, from 135 in 2014-15 to 40 in 2023-24, as a result of stringent safety measures.

The report also indicated a decline in train accidents per million kilometers from 0.11 in 2014-15 to 0.03 in 2023-24, illustrating a 73% improvement in safety. Electronic Interlocking Systems have been installed at over 6,608 stations, while level crossing gates' interlocking has been advanced to 11,053 gates, ensuring greater protection against human errors.

(With inputs from agencies.)