Title - Safety under lens! Railway might allocate its first set of safety fund in upcoming budget

After three major accidents in a span of two months, rail minister Suresh Prabhu might allocate the first set of Rs 20,000 crore safety fund in the upcoming budget. In its first two years of governance, Modi government claimed its record of fewer rail accidents and lower causality rates but in the last two months three major accidents claimed lives of around 190 people as per the official record.

Now since the railway’s record is under lens, the pressure is now to allocate safety funds in a swift fashion. Railway is keen to s how that safety related expenses have not been compromised especially when railway is reeling under operational losses.

In a span of five years government is hoping to raise more money from states and through central road fund so that more rail bridges can be made and more safety net can be installed. According to a report railway has spent less than 15% of its allocated money for safety in last five years. Also it is said that railway is always slow to replace its worn out assets that belongs to British Era. For example there are bridges which are not safe anymore but cash-starving railway is not showing keenness to replace them.

According to a Railway official, “It is true that fund allocation has always been a problem for railways but Railway Research Designs and standard organisation does not adopt new technology swiftly.”