Travelling by train is 'Prabhu bharosey', no surety you will arrive alive

Saturday's accident has killed at least 23 people. Scores are injured. As per reports, the train was running at high speed on a track where 'unofficial' maintenance work was going on without red-flagging the stretch and warning drivers of trains scheduled to pass the spot.

Workers remove the an upturned coach of the Kalinga-Utkal Express from the track after an accident near Khatauli, in Uttar Pradesh, India, Sunday, Aug. 20, 2017. AP Photo

After 14 coaches of the high-speed Utkal Express jumped the rails, with one of them crashing into a house adjacent to the track, near Khatauli in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday evening, two questions that needs to be asked are: Is the Ministry of Railways floundering on passenger safety issues? And, is Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu's leadership faltering and proving to be inadequate?

There have been far too many accidents on Prabhu's watch. Yet, passenger safety does not appear to be high on his, or his Ministry's, list of priorities. It just keeps falling off the radar for him the Modi Government. Saturday's accident has killed at least 23 people. Scores are injured. As per reports, the train was running at high speed on a track where 'unofficial' maintenance work was going on without red-flagging the stretch and warning drivers of trains scheduled to pass the spot. The locomotive driver is reported to have applied the emergency brake to avert the disaster. But it was too late as the devil's bell had already been rung by then. The burning question is: How can the railways system be so careless? Is it sheer callousness or poor planning born of the belief that end of the day there is no accountability, no punishment, only just another meaningless 'inquiry'? Or is it further evidence that resources are now stretched to beyond tipping point for India's unsustainably subsidised railways? Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu took charge as Minister for Railways on 9 November 2014. Let us count how many major (not counting the minor ones) accidents took place since he assumed office. 2014 1) 14 December 2014: The UP Howrah–New Delhi Poorva Express (12381) derailed 12 carriages at Liluah. There was no loss of life reported. 2015 2) 13 February 2015: The Anekal derailment occurred when the Bangalore City–Ernakulam Intercity Express (12677) derailed nine coaches near Anekal in the Bangalore Urban district. The accident killed 12 and injured 100. 3) 1 March 2015: The Ernakulam–Hazrat Nizamuddin Mangala Lakshadweep Express (12617) jumped off the track near Pen station of Maharashtra. There were no injuries. 4) 20 March 2015: The Uttar Pradesh train accident occurred when the Dehradun–Varanasi Janta Express derailed in Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh, killing 58 and injuring 150. 5) 3 May 2015: The Mumbai Lokmanya Tilak–Ernakulam Junction Duronto Express (12223) goes off the track near Balli railway station in South Goa. However, there was no loss of life reported. 6) 25 May 2015: The Muri Express derailed in Uttar Pradesh, killing 5 and injuring more than 50. 7) 4 August 2015: The Harda twin train derailment occurred. The Kamayani Express and Janata Express derailed between Kurawan and Bhiringi stations in Madhya Pradesh, killing at least 31 people and injuring 100. 8) 12 September 2015: The Secunderabad Junction–Mumbai Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Duronto Express (12220) derailed 9 coaches at Martur station, around 20 km from Kalaburagi town, Karnataka, killing two and injuring seven. 2016 9) 5 February 2016: The Island Express jumped the rails near Vellore; a few people were injured but no one died. 10) 6 May 2016: The Chennai Central–Thiruvananthapuram Central Superfast Express and a suburban train had a side collision near Pattabiram, injuring seven. 11) 20 November 2016: The Pukhrayan train derailment occurred when the Indore–Rajendra Nagar Express (19321) derailed 14 coaches at Pukhrayan (nearly 60 km from Kanpur) killing 150 and injuring 260. 12) 28 December 2016: The Ajmer-Sealdah Express derailed 15 coaches near Rura station while crossing a bridge, injuring 44. 2017 13) 21 January 2017: The Kuneru train derailment occurred when the Jagdalpur–Bhubaneswar Hirakhand Express (18448) derailed near Kuneru, Vizianagaram. The mishap killed 41 and injured 68. 14) 19 August 2017: The Haridwar Kalinga-Utkal Express (18478) derailed in Khatauli, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh. As many as 14 major accidents taking a terrible toll of lives is not a record that can be glossed over, nor should it be. India needs superfast trains and bullet trains. But not before Indian Railways is able to operate existing services without compromising on passenger safety. We need a reality check and a more serious approach towards our work and responsibilities. There is nothing more important than the lives of passengers. When people travel by train they hope to reach their destinations safely.  It is the duty of those sitting at responsible places to guarantee that safety. Mere assurances and words of comfort are best avoided. They mean nothing. About the author: Author is an Associate Producer in ABP News Network Pvt Ltd and tweets at @AnuragSason Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author are personal and do not reflect the opinions, beliefs and views of ABP News Network Pvt Ltd.