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Indian Railways Cuts Accidents by 89% Under Modi's "Safety First" Push

Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted a fundamental shift in Indian Railways, emphasizing its transformed safety record. An article by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw details how a clear "Safety First" policy, modern technology, and sustained funding have driven this change. The data shows a dramatic 89% reduction in train accidents, from 135 in 2014-15 to just 16 in 2025-26. This improvement occurred even as passenger volumes increased, with the system now carrying over two crore people daily.

Key Points: Indian Railways Safety Record Transforms Under Modi

  • 89% reduction in train accidents since 2014-15
  • "Safety First" policy with tech-led transformation
  • Carries over 2 crore passengers daily
  • Fatalities dropped from 292 to 16 in a decade
2 min read

Indian Railways setting new benchmarks: PM Modi

PM Modi highlights an 89% drop in train accidents since 2014-15 as Indian Railways undergoes a tech-led safety transformation.

"Every morning, as India wakes up, its railways are already in motion. - Ashwini Vaishnaw"

New Delhi, April 16

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday highlighted that Indian Railways has undergone a fundamental shift and is setting new benchmarks through sustained reforms and technology.

In this context, he shared an article written by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on how the safety ecosystem of Indian Railways has been transformed in the past decade through clear policy, the induction of modern technology and continuous injection of funds.

The Prime Minister's Office posted on X: "The Indian Railway ecosystem has undergone a fundamental shift and the results are right in front of us. Union Minister AshwiniVaishnaw writes how this sector is setting new benchmarks through sustained reforms and technology".

For many of these passengers, a railway journey is not a choice but a necessity. In a system that carries such volumes across vast distances, safety is not a technical metric. It is a matter of public trust, it added.

The article highlights that during PM Modi's first term in office, a clear message was given that Indian Railways would place "Safety First". In pursuit of this goal the organisation has pursued a tech-led, consistently-funded transformation of its safety ecosystem.

Consequently, the train accident rate has come down sharply in the country. In 2014-15, Indian Railways recorded 135 such accidents which has come down to 16 in 2025-26, a reduction of 89 per cent. The decline in the number of accidents has taken place even as the number of train operations and passenger volumes has gone up.

During this period, the consequential accident index, which measures accidents per unit of train running distance has dropped from 0.11 to 0.01, indicating a system far safer for every kilometre run.

Also in 2014-15, rail accidents claimed 292 lives while in 2025-26, only 16 lives were lost in 16 accidents that took place.

Emphasising the importance that Indian Railways occupies in the lives of the people, the minister wrote: "Every morning, as India wakes up, its railways are already in motion. More than two crore passengers step onto the country's trains each day, from office-goers, students, and migrant workers to families and soldiers."

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Priya S
While the safety numbers are impressive and very welcome, I hope this focus extends to passenger comfort and punctuality. My train from Chennai to Delhi last month was 5 hours late. Safety first, yes, but on-time performance matters too for the 2 crore daily passengers.
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Aman W
As someone whose family depends on the railways for my father's work travel, this news is a huge relief. "Safety is a matter of public trust" – absolutely true. The reduction in fatalities from 292 to 16 is not just a statistic, it's hundreds of families saved from tragedy. Good work.
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Sarah B
Visiting India last year, I was amazed by the scale of the railways. It's the lifeline of the country. To see such a dramatic improvement in safety while increasing capacity is a remarkable feat of public administration. Other nations could learn from this focus on clear policy and tech.
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Karthik V
Vande Bharat and new trains are great, but this is the real achievement. Transforming the safety of the entire existing network is what benefits the common man the most. The migrant worker traveling in a general coach deserves this safety as much as anyone in AC. Hope this momentum continues!
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Nisha Z
The data is promising, no doubt. But we must ensure this is sustained and not a one-time push. Regular maintenance, upgrading old tracks, and continuous training for personnel are key. Also, cleanliness at stations and in trains needs equal attention. The journey is about more than just reaching safely.

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