Railway Board Directs Officers to Camp at Accident Sites for Faster Probe
The Railway Board has instructed senior officers investigating train accidents to camp at the accident sites to expedite inquiries and ensure that investigation reports are submitted within the mandated timelines. The directive follows a safety review that found several accident inquiries and related departmental proceedings were delayed beyond the prescribed deadlines.
According to railway sources, the review identified two primary reasons for the prolonged investigations: delays in constituting inquiry committees and the deployment of officers assigned to investigations for other official duties. To address these issues, the Board has ordered that, immediately after an accident, a suitable location near the site be identified exclusively for the use of the Inquiry Committee.
“This will enable all members of the Committee to work in coordination, focus on the investigation, examine the available evidence expeditiously, and finalise the inquiry report in continuous sittings, as far as practicable,” the Railway Board said in a communication to General Managers of all Zonal Railways.
The Board has also asked senior officers to review all pending accident inquiries and take necessary steps to complete them without further delay. Under existing norms, an Inquiry Committee must be constituted on the day following an accident, and its report must be submitted to the competent authority within seven days. The entire process—including acceptance of the report, implementation of recommendations, and initiation of departmental action where human error is established—is required to be completed within 90 days.
In its communication, the Railway Board reiterated its earlier instructions that post-accident inquiries should focus on analysing why the accident occurred rather than merely identifying who was responsible. The review found that inquiry reports have often been more concerned with fixing accountability than undertaking a detailed analysis to identify root causes.
The Board emphasised that every post-accident inquiry should be followed by a Detailed Accident Study and Analysis Report, which clearly identifies root causes of systemic and human failures. The report should also recommend appropriate technical and procedural measures to prevent similar failures and enhance operational safety.
This move is part of the Railway Board’s broader efforts to strengthen safety protocols and ensure that investigations lead to meaningful corrective actions. By having officers camp at accident sites, the Board aims to improve the quality and speed of investigations, ensuring that lessons from each incident are quickly integrated into safety practices.
Railway safety experts have welcomed the directive, noting that on-site camping would allow inquiry committees to gather firsthand evidence, examine equipment and track conditions, and interact with local staff and witnesses without the delays caused by travel or other distractions. However, they also stressed the importance of ensuring that officers have the necessary resources and authority to conduct thorough investigations.
The directive applies to all zonal railways and is expected to bring uniformity in accident investigation procedures across the country. The Railway Board has asked senior officials to monitor compliance and report on the progress of pending inquiries.
