Record ₹1.3 tn safety net on the cards for railways

Budget to set aside funds for rolling stock, critical infra, auto protection system

- Subhash Narayan

As scrutiny over train accidents mounts, the Centre is considering its biggest-ever outlay on rail safety, with allocations likely to cross ₹1.3 trillion in fiscal year 2027 (FY27), according to two people aware of the development.

The proposed outlay, around 12% higher than the current year’s budget, would be directed towards maintaining rolling stock and critical infrastructure, including track renewals, and the rollout of Kavach—India’s indigenous automatic train protection system, one of the people said, requesting anonymity.

The Indian Railways faces public and political focus on safety. The planned increase marks a significant shift in the railways’ capital priorities, with safety spending expected to account for nearly half of its total capital expenditure in FY27, which is expected to rise to about ₹2.76 trillion from ₹2.52 trillion this fiscal year.

Over the past decade, the national transporter has sharply reduced accidents per million train kilometres. Yet safety remains in focus after a string of mishaps. The deadliest accident so far this year was a collision near Bilaspur, where a MEMU (mainline electric multiple unit) passenger train overshot a red signal and hit a stationary goods train, killing 11 and injuring over 20.

Queries emailed to the ministries of railways and finance on Monday remained unanswered until press time.

The railways reported 31 accidents in FY25 and 10 "consequential" accidents in the current fiscal through November. Consequential accidents are those involving collisions, fires, or derailments that lead to loss of life or property. Between FY15 and FY24, 678 such accidents resulted in 748 deaths.