<p>New Delhi: The Railway Board has directed all railway zones to prioritise maintenance of turnouts — the critical track sections that allow trains to switch from one line to another — after data revealed that 18 out of 28 track-related derailments in 2025-26 occurred at these locations.</p><p>This accounts for nearly 65 per cent of derailments attributed to engineering (track-related) issues during the financial year.</p><p>Turnouts, also known as points and crossings, are those track segments which allow trains to go from one track to another. </p>.Railway Board directs station masters to strictly follow track clearance protocols.<p>In a recent letter to all zones, the Board stressed that turnouts must remain a major focus area in track maintenance efforts.</p><p>The communication, based on analysis from the Safety Information Management System (SIMS), also highlighted shortcomings in how field officers and supervisors identify and record the root causes of derailments.</p><p>The Board emphasised on improved counselling and guidance to ensure more accurate assessment.</p><p>During a recent meeting with chief track engineers, Member (Infrastructure), Railway Board, asked the officials to give the highest priority to maintenance of track with quality and addressed the need to shift from a renewal-based philosophy to a maintenance-based approach. "Timely maintenance enhances reliability, improves the service life of track, and reduces the need for premature renewals."</p><p>Each railway division has been asked to prepare a consolidated track action plan under the supervision of the Senior Divisional Engineer. These plans must cover both renewal and maintenance activities, with regular monitoring by the Chief Track Engineer (CTE). While the use of instrumentation for inspections is increasing, the Board underscored that manual inspections continue to play an essential role in fully assessing track conditions.</p><p>Divisions have been instructed to ramp up field inspections, particularly at vulnerable locations such as turnouts, bridges, level crossings, high embankments, and sharp curves — especially where multiple risk factors overlap.</p><p>The letter stressed the importance of durable maintenance work. Locations showing recurring problems should be critically reviewed and addressed through alternative solutions.</p><p>Directing the divisions to monitor and expeditiously close old track-related works, the Board said that 141 ongoing works are more than 10 years old and require Rs 1,334 crore to finish.</p><p>"Similarly, 1,997 works older than five years have a Throw Forward Liability of Rs 16,868 crore," it added.</p>
<p>New Delhi: The Railway Board has directed all railway zones to prioritise maintenance of turnouts — the critical track sections that allow trains to switch from one line to another — after data revealed that 18 out of 28 track-related derailments in 2025-26 occurred at these locations.</p><p>This accounts for nearly 65 per cent of derailments attributed to engineering (track-related) issues during the financial year.</p><p>Turnouts, also known as points and crossings, are those track segments which allow trains to go from one track to another. </p>.Railway Board directs station masters to strictly follow track clearance protocols.<p>In a recent letter to all zones, the Board stressed that turnouts must remain a major focus area in track maintenance efforts.</p><p>The communication, based on analysis from the Safety Information Management System (SIMS), also highlighted shortcomings in how field officers and supervisors identify and record the root causes of derailments.</p><p>The Board emphasised on improved counselling and guidance to ensure more accurate assessment.</p><p>During a recent meeting with chief track engineers, Member (Infrastructure), Railway Board, asked the officials to give the highest priority to maintenance of track with quality and addressed the need to shift from a renewal-based philosophy to a maintenance-based approach. "Timely maintenance enhances reliability, improves the service life of track, and reduces the need for premature renewals."</p><p>Each railway division has been asked to prepare a consolidated track action plan under the supervision of the Senior Divisional Engineer. These plans must cover both renewal and maintenance activities, with regular monitoring by the Chief Track Engineer (CTE). While the use of instrumentation for inspections is increasing, the Board underscored that manual inspections continue to play an essential role in fully assessing track conditions.</p><p>Divisions have been instructed to ramp up field inspections, particularly at vulnerable locations such as turnouts, bridges, level crossings, high embankments, and sharp curves — especially where multiple risk factors overlap.</p><p>The letter stressed the importance of durable maintenance work. Locations showing recurring problems should be critically reviewed and addressed through alternative solutions.</p><p>Directing the divisions to monitor and expeditiously close old track-related works, the Board said that 141 ongoing works are more than 10 years old and require Rs 1,334 crore to finish.</p><p>"Similarly, 1,997 works older than five years have a Throw Forward Liability of Rs 16,868 crore," it added.</p>
