Train tragedy

Just one day after a gas cylinder explosion at the Gadani shipbreaking yard killed at least 16 people, disaster struck again when two passenger trains collided near the Landhi Railway Station in Karachi. The collision led to the death of at least 21 people, while more than 65 were injured. The two tragedies share the familiar common problem of insufficient safety procedures directly leading to massive loss of life. According to an adviser to the Sindh labour minister, the accident was caused after railway officials gave a green signal to a train which then went on to hit a stationary train in front. Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique gave a different version of events when he said the correct signals were given but had been ignored by the driver and assistant driver of the train coming from behind. It is irresponsible of officials to give contradictory statements at a time when the death toll is still rising and Rafique’s remark seem like a way of deflecting blame from Pakistan Railways. Whatever the cause of this accident may have been, Pakistan Railways has an awful safety record with a major accident taking place nearly every month. In October, a freight train collided with a passenger bus in Pattoki killing four people after the railway crossing line was left open. The month before that six people were killed and 150 injured when two trains collided in Multan when both were using the same track. In July, a train derailed and overturned in Khanewal, injuring 20 people. The list of accidents is endless and unacceptable.

Pakistan Railways has been all but destroyed by a culture of corruption and inefficiency. Both the resources and the will to adopt standard safety measures are not in place because the railways have been run into the ground. The accident in Karachi could have been prevented had Pakistan Railways abandoned the outdated analogue signal system and switched all trains to the digital model railway control system which can detect crossings and approaching trains and control speed. Most train accidents in Pakistan take place because the signal has not been properly transmitted to the drivers or they have not picked it up. A digital system would significantly reduce the risk of that happening and allow for real-time interaction between the driver and the control centre. The other major cause of accidents is dangerous crossing points, with one recent report alleging that over 2400 crossing points in the country have been deemed dangerous. Fixing these will require expenditure that Pakistan Railways is just not willing to make because it is in financial dire straits. As the Karachi accident has shown, money should not be an issue when people’s lives are at stake.