In a significant boost to rail safety, Indian Railways has successfully upgraded its signalling system at Shakurbasti in New Delhi, replacing one of the country’s oldest mechanical interlocked yards. The new electronic interlocking system, which features a state-of-the-art VDU-based design and 493 routes, is expected to enhance both passenger safety and operational efficiency.
Indian Railways’ modernization efforts
According to Indian Railways, this advancement is part of the broader modernization efforts aimed at reducing accidents and improving train operations across the network. Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw recently highlighted the positive impact of such measures in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
The minister noted a dramatic reduction in train accidents, from 135 incidents in 2014-15 to just 40 in 2023-24. He further revealed that consequential train accidents between 2004 and 2014 averaged 171 annually, compared to 68 per year over the past decade. The Accidents per Million Train Kilometers (APMTKM) rate has also dropped from 0.11 in 2014-15 to 0.03 in 2023-24, marking an impressive 73% improvement.
Other safety initiatives include the provision of Electrical/Electronic Interlocking Systems at 6,608 stations and the interlocking of 11,053 level crossing gates as of October 31, 2024. Complete track circuiting has been implemented at 6,619 stations to enhance safety by electronically verifying track occupancy.
Additionally, the cutting-edge Kavach system, which provides advanced safety certifications, has been deployed on 1,548 route kilometers in the South Central and North Central Railway zones, further solidifying Indian Railways’ commitment to ensuring passenger safety and operational excellence.