Opinion | Jalgaon Train Tragedy: Another Avoidable Disaster On Indian Railways

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Last Updated:January 23, 2025, 13:47 IST

The Jalgaon train collision underscores the urgent need for safety reform within Indian Railways. 14 lives were tragically lost in a disaster that could have been avoided

People gather after a train mishap, in Jalgaon district, Maharashtra, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (PTI Photo)

On January 22, 2025, yet another deadly accident occurred on the Indian Railways (IR) network. The incident involved two express trains—Train No. 12533 Lucknow Mumbai Pushpak Express and Train No. 12627 Karnataka Express. The collision took place between 16:30 and 17:30 hours, between Maheji and Pardhade stations near Pachora in the Jalgaon district of Maharashtra.

Casualties

At the time of writing this piece, there is no definitive word on the exact number of casualties in this highly preventable, man-made tragedy of monumental proportions. Early reports suggest the death toll lies between 10 and 20, with a consensus emerging around 14 confirmed fatalities. Meanwhile, the number of injured ranges from 6 to 40, depending on which account is to be believed.

A Bizarre Tragedy

Having chronicled railway accidents for more than two decades, I classify this incident as bizarre yet utterly avoidable—an accident that should never have happened in the first place. No official statement has been issued regarding the exact cause of the mishap. The circumstances are so perplexing that the true cause may never come to light, and even if it is uncovered, the Indian Railways might choose not to disclose it.

The likelihood is high that, as with many past fatal railway accidents, the true cause of this tragedy will remain shrouded in secrecy.

Knowing Indian Railways, it would not be surprising if, instead of accepting responsibility, they shift the blame onto the hapless passengers of the Pushpak Express, who were struck by the fast-moving Karnataka Express. Official accounts are already praising the driver of the Karnataka Express, claiming that the Pushpak Express passengers were mowed down despite the Karnataka Express driver’s best efforts to save their lives. The mystery is if the accident happened on a curve, how come Karnataka Express was zooming past at 130 kmph?

Nonetheless, this accident, once again, highlights the glaring deficiencies in Indian Railways’ approach towards passenger safety. I will delve deeper into this issue later in the piece.

The Ex-Gratia Game

As is typically the case after every railway accident, Prime Minister Modi and the Chief Minister of Maharashtra have expressed their grief. Surprisingly, the Railway Ministry has announced a meagre ex-gratia of Rs 1.5 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased (much lower than the usual compensation payable in the event of a railway accident). In contrast, the Maharashtra state government has been more generous, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announcing a Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia for the families of passengers killed in the tragic accident.

What Really Happened

The sequence of events leading to the accident remains unclear. Here is what we know about the causes so far:

First, an unnamed senior railway official appears to have told PTI: “Our preliminary information is that there were sparks and smoke inside one of the general coaches of the Pushpak Express due to either a ‘hot axle’ or ‘brake binding’ (jamming), and some passengers panicked. They pulled the chain, and some of them jumped down. At the same time, the Karnataka Express was passing."

Second, Gulabrao Patil, Maharashtra’s Guardian Minister for Jalgaon, stated that the passengers, mostly from the general compartment, were frightened by a rumour that the train had caught fire and jumped out. He added, “There was a chain-pulling incident that caused the train to come to an abrupt halt when the emergency brakes were applied. The friction from the brakes caused sparks to fly from the tracks. Passengers in the general compartment, fearing the train had caught fire, jumped from both exits. The Karnataka Express, travelling at over 130 km/h from the opposite side on the adjacent tracks, ran over these passengers, resulting in the tragic loss of life."

Third, Dr Swapnil Nila, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of Central Railways, added to the confusion: “Amidst a chain-pulling incident on the Pushpak Express, several passengers got off the train and were tragically struck by the passing Karnataka Express. The exact cause of the alarm chain-pulling is still being investigated."

No Statutory Enquiry Ordered

As of 1:00 PM on January 23, 2025, no statutory inquiry to be conducted by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) has been ordered by the Ministry of Railways. If such an inquiry is not announced, it means that the railways will blame hapless passengers for their own sad demise. By all accounts, it is now clear that sparks led to smoke in one of the rail compartments. It is also evident that the smoke or sparks were not caused by the passengers.

Railways Must Own The Blame

Whether the smoke or sparks emanated from the ‘hot axle’ or ‘brake binding’ (jamming), it is, without a doubt, at the very least a case of “equipment failure," and the blame lies squarely with the maintenance philosophy of Indian Railways.

Passengers panicking due to the fear of fire after sparks or smoke is a natural human reaction, particularly because there have been many cases of deadly fire accidents in Indian Railways’ history.

The Saga Continues

Whether Indian Railways declares the Jalgaon accident as a consequential train accident, resulting in at least thirteen deaths or not, this latest accident adds to the list of more than 200 consequential railway accidents over the past five years, which have claimed 351 lives and left 970 people injured. With the addition of the casualties from Jalgaon, the total number of deaths in railway accidents over the past five years has risen to at least 364.

Also, make no mistake: while the Jalgaon rail accident may be the first of the new year, if Indian Railways does not mend its ways quickly, many more accidents—each more serious than the last—are bound to occur in the year ahead.

Thorough Investigation: The Need Of The Hour

Whether the spark or smoke was caused by the hot axle, brake binding, or something else, the tragic outcome remains: the hapless passengers, fearing for their lives, jumped from the Pushpak Express and met a violent death, crushed and mowed down by the Karnataka Express, which was travelling at 130 km/h.

Make no mistake: it is imperative for the mandarins at Rail Bhawan to take responsibility for the accident, thoroughly investigate the root cause, fix accountability, and take action at the highest level, not just at the lowest common denominator.

Merely stating that there was no fire on the train is tantamount to blatantly disowning the accident, which is unacceptable.

Nothing Will Happen. Nothing Will Change.

However, I am afraid no concrete action will be taken to prevent such accidents, and like the multitude of past railway accidents, this one will soon be forgotten and consigned to history. The mandarins at Rail Bhawan will continue to pat themselves on the back and parrot their favourite refrain: “The number of consequential railway accidents and the resulting casualties over the last ten years of the NDA regime have drastically reduced compared to the preceding ten years under the UPA regime."

Inquiries may or may not be held. Causes may or may not be ascertained. Even if the causes are eventually identified, they will likely remain undisclosed to the public, kept from the knowledge of common Bharatiyas. Some actions may or may not be taken against the “junior employees" of Indian Railways. But the big fish will go scot-free, unpunished. The mantra of “All is well with Indian Railways" will prevail. Then, another deadly accident will occur, and the routine of rescue operations, ex-gratia, and yet another inquiry will repeat itself.

And, just like this one, the case of the next accident will be closed. Indian Railways will then await the next accident to happen.

The Moot Question

The question I ask is: How long will this chaos and confusion continue? How long will innocent lives continue to be lost mercilessly on Indian Railways tracks? And how long will no accountability be fixed for these deaths and serious injuries?

I also have a few more fundamental questions: Why do Indian Railways refuse to learn from its past accidents? Why is there no move towards “zero tolerance for accidents, incidents, and near misses"?

Here is my wish list for urgent action to be taken by Indian Railways:

Independent Safety Architecture: Immediate setting up of a globally recognised Independent Safety Architecture, as suggested by the Anil Kakodkar-led “High Powered Committee on Railway Safety" in 2012. The era of the Railway Board being the “policy framer, operator, and regulator" must end forthwith.
Zero Tolerance: It is time for a complete paradigm shift. Nothing less than zero tolerance for accidents, incidents, and near misses will suffice.
Accountability To Move Up The Value Chain: Unless those at the helm of the railway administration—such as the DRMs (Divisional Railway Managers) in railway divisions and GMs (General Managers) in railway zones—are held accountable for accidents in their territory, the culture of proactive action to prevent accidents, incidents, and near misses will not percolate down through the railway system.
Look East: It is time to learn from Japan, a country that, despite its dense network, has succeeded in eliminating railway accidents. If Japan can do it, India can too.