JOIN USIrrespective of repeated promises of safety by the railways, the ground reality has changed a little as was proved by yet another derailment of an elite train in Karnataka on Saturday.
While 2014 saw 118 people dying in train accidents besides over 400 getting injured, 40 lives have been lost on the tracks in the last six months.
Upset ‘with the repeated instances of accidents, industrialist Ratan Tata last month asked his Kayakalp Council, which he heads, to prepare an urgent note on the safety scenario in the railways.
Repeated incidents of derailments, collisions and accidents at level-crossings have also prompted Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu to make safety the most important aspect of his negotiations for collaboration with Japan.
Railway ministry officials claim that talks on Japanese cooperation is aimed at bringing a zero-accident regime in railways.
Prabhu, who recently completed a three-day trip to South Korea, has also centred his talks around the modernisation of signalling system and other safety measures.