Railway accidents declined to 81 in 2024-25 from 400 earlier: Vaishnaw

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

New Delhi, April 2 (IANS) There has been a marked improvement in safety in the operations of Indian Railways, with the number of train accidents declining significantly to 81 in financial year 2024-25 from 400 earlier, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

Making a comparison with the tenure of earlier railway ministers during the erstwhile UPA regime, Vaishnaw said, “During Lalu Ji’s time, there were around 700 accidents per year, during Mamata Ji’s time, there were around 400 accidents, during Kharge Ji’s time, there were around 385 accidents.”

Speaking during Question Hour in the Lower House, the minister said that efforts were continuously being made to introduce technological and procedural changes and new training methods, to further reduce rail accidents in the country.

“In financial year 2024-25 which has just come to an end, the number has reduced from 400 to 81, there has been a very significant improvement,” he remarked.

In answer to a question on instances of delay in the filing of FIRs related to crimes on the railway network, the minister said the Government Railway Police of each state and the Railway Protection Force continuously hold discussions to coordinate action, and the government has introduced the system of filing zero FIRs that will help address the issues.

The minister also said that in order to improve the regional passenger experience, the Indian Railways have proposed to offer a variety of different Indian cuisines on select trains.

This proposal was brought by the Railway Minister in the Lok Sabha during Question Hour on Wednesday.

In answer to a question by DMK’s Sumathy Thamizhachi Thangapandian about the lack of South Indian dishes offered on the Vande Bharat trains operating in Tamil Nadu, the Railway Minister said that a pilot scheme was being tested by Southern Railways.

The goal of this pilot scheme is to enhance the travel experience of passengers with local dishes representing the culture of the region that the trains are running through, he explained.

–IANS

sps/rad

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Aryan’s mother, Guddi Devi, is in a state of shock, and the family members have refrained from eating since the incident. The child fell into a 175-ft-deep open borewell near his house while playing with his mother. Rescue operations began immediately as the officials arrived at the site. District Collector Devendra Yadav has been continuously overseeing the rescue efforts.

Rescue teams initially attempted to retrieve Aryan by digging 20 feet away from the borewell. Efforts using an L-shaped hook to pull him out also failed. Even attempts using makeshift “desi jugaad” methods did not succeed. However, the team did manage to prevent Aryan from falling further into the borewell by deploying an umbrella beneath him.

After earlier attempts failed, authorities initiated a Plan B. A piling machine from Sawai Madhopur is being used to dig a 4-foot-wide pit just 4-5 feet from the borewell. Once the pit reaches 150 feet, NDRF personnel will create a horizontal tunnel to reach Aryan and rescue him. Officials are optimistic that this plan will be successful.

According to NDRF personnel, the piling machine is digging at a rate of 20 feet per hour. The entire excavation process is expected to take around 7-8 hours, after which the rescue team will descend into the pit and complete the tunnel. Despite the challenges, the NDRF and SDRF teams are determined to bring Aryan out safely.

The entire village is holding its breath, hoping for a positive outcome.

–IANS

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Sri Sri Ravi Shankar proposes university in Bihar, seeks govt land

Patna March 8 (IANS) Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has expressed his intention to establish a university in Bihar, urging the state government to provide land for this purpose.

“If the Bihar government gives land, we will open a university,” he stated while addressing his followers in Patna’s Gandhi Maidan on Saturday.

He emphasised that religion is not just about external rituals like wearing dhoti or shaving one’s head. Instead, religion means knowledge and wisdom.

If the Bihar government agrees to allocate land, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s proposed university could become a major centre for education, culture, and spiritual learning in the state.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar expressed serious concern over the targeting of Hindus in Bangladesh and appealed to the Indian government to take necessary steps to address the situation.

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Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has raised concerns over the increasing cases of heart attacks among India’s youth.

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Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is currently on a five-day tour of Patna. He is delivering spiritual discourses (Pravachan) at Gandhi Maidan, drawing a large number of followers.

Besides, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Dhirendra Krishna Shastri is also on a five-day tour of Bihar and currently doing Pravachan in Gopalganj district.

–IANS

ajk/dan