2018-19 is the safest year for Railways since independence

New Delhi:Indian Railways has made spectacular achievement on safety front as there has been tremendous reduction in number of consequential accidents, in number of fatalities and injury figures which makes 2018-19 the safest year of all.

According to the Ministry sources, this could take place because of the concerted and comprehensive measures implemented in Railways to improve safety in train operations in the last five years.

"Piyush Goyal, after taking over as Railway Minister, has time and again been emphasising on safety in railway operations and directing Railway Administration to accord the top most priority to safety," they added.

The outgoing financial 2018-19 is the safest year as has been reflected in the data of 1981-82 and 2018-19. 

The consequential accidents include collisions, derailment, level crossing accidents, fire in trains and miscellaneous.

The number of consequential accidents has come down from 1130 in 1980-81 to mere 59 (94.8 per cent reduction) in 2018-19. This is lowest ever figure making 2018-19 the safest year. 

Last year, i.e 2017-18 was also the safest year and now it has been bettered further this year, the sources highlighted.

During the same period, the fatality figure has come down from 658 in 1981-82 to 37 in 2018-19 (94.4 per cent reduction).

Similarly the injury figures decreased from 1144 from 1981-82 to 108 in 2018-19 (90.6 per cent reduction).

The renewed focus and improvement on safety was noticed in 2014-15 to 2018-19 period of present NDA government.(UNI)