The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has sounded an alarm over persistent signalling failures in the South Western Railway (SWR) zone, calling for significantly stronger maintenance protocols. Despite a declining trend, the zone recorded nearly 3,000 signalling defects on average each year between 2018-19 and 2022-23, posing a potential risk to safety and punctuality.
Audit Reveals Alarming Failure Statistics
In a report tabled in Parliament, the national auditor disclosed that a total of 14,808 signal failures or defects were logged in the SWR over the five-year audit period. This translates to an average of 2,961 cases every year. A detailed year-wise breakdown shows 3,337 cases in 2018-19 (FY19), a spike to 3,941 in FY20, followed by 2,537 in FY21, 2,834 in FY22, and 2,159 in FY23.
The CAG pinpointed that a majority of these failures, 8,547 cases, were directly linked to faults in Signalling and Telecommunication (S&T) equipment. These include critical components like track circuits, relays, cables, and block instruments. The remaining 6,261 failures were attributed to issues originating in other departments such as engineering, operating, and electrical.
Safety and Financial Implications Highlighted
The signalling system is the backbone of railway safety, controlling train movements to prevent collisions. Failures not only disrupt schedules but are also potential accident triggers. The CAG report noted that during the review period, SWR witnessed 44 accidents, including 28 derailments and 6 cases of Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD), where a train runs past a stop signal without authorisation.
The auditor criticised the lack of an action plan for installing advanced Automatic Train Protection devices like the European Train Control System (ETCS) or Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), despite them being part of the Railways' Vision-2024 document.
A significant financial loophole was also uncovered. The audit found that frequent damage to optical fibre and quad cables during construction work led to penalties on contractors. However, out of Rs 13.68 crore imposed for 914 cable cut cases, the railways could recover only Rs 1.91 crore. A massive Rs 11.77 crore remained pending recovery as of March 31, 2023.
Calls for Predictive Maintenance and Tech Upgrade
The CAG emphasised that the continuing failures occurred despite allocating adequate time for repairs and maintenance. It stressed the urgent need for a more effective maintenance mechanism. The auditor recommended using data loggers as a tool for predictive maintenance to move towards a failsafe signalling system.
Furthermore, the report highlighted gaps in adopting modern signalling technologies within SWR, such as Solid State Interlocking (SSI) and Mobile Train Radio Communication System (MTRCS). To mitigate cable damage, the CAG advised SWR to prepare and share an integrated S&T cable route plan with all stakeholders involved in digging work.
The South Western Railway, one of Indian Railways' 18 zones, operates through its three divisions in Bangalore, Hubli, and Mysore, primarily serving the state of Karnataka.
