With the Center planning a record safety expenditure of around ₹1.3 lakh crore for the fiscal  year 2026–2027 (FY27), Indian Railways is well-positioned to further improve its safety  framework. This projected investment is the biggest budgeted expenditure on rail safety in  the nation, up around 12% from the safety budget for the current year. 

Following a catastrophic train incident near Bilaspur earlier this year that resulted in 11  fatalities and several injuries, the action is under increased scrutiny. The government has  reevaluated its capital investment objectives for the industry as a result of the tragedy, which  has once again brought rail safety to the center of public and political conversation. 

A renewed emphasis on capital expenditures driven by safety 

The extra funding is anticipated to go toward vital safety-related projects like track renewals,  upgraded signalling, rolling stock maintenance, and quicker implementation of the Kavach  automatic train protection system throughout a greater area of the rail network, according to  officials familiar with the development. At ₹1.16 trillion, the safety budget for FY26 is only a  little increase above ₹1.14 trillion for FY25. By contrast, safety spending increased from  ₹87,327 crore in FY23 to ₹1.01 trillion in FY24. 

Safety-related projects would probably make up about half of Indian Railways’ total capital  expenditures in FY27 as a result of the projected increase. Overall railway capital  expenditures are expected to increase from ₹2.52 trillion in the current fiscal year to over  ₹2.76 trillion. The government’s intention to prioritize safety in any future railway  expenditures is demonstrated by this recalibration. 

Safety indications are becoming better, however there are still issues 

Indian Railways has seen significant gains in important safety measures over the last ten  years, notwithstanding recent mishaps. The number of accidents per million train kilometers 

significantly decreased from 0.11 in FY15 to 0.03 in FY24, a 73% reduction. However, 678  significant incidents led to 748 fatalities between FY15 and FY24, underscoring the ongoing  necessity of systemic monitoring. 

The Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK), which has already spent over ₹1.08 trillion on  renovating vital railway assets, was extended by the government to maintain safety  improvements. Up to November, railways recorded 10 important incidents in the current  fiscal year, including collisions, derailments, and fires that resulted in property damage or  fatalities, and 31 accidents in FY25. 

Technology-driven therapies and Kavach 

Kavach, India’s native automated train protection system, is a crucial part of the safety  campaign. It is made to automatically apply brakes in the event that a loco pilot does not  react, even in low visibility. Kavach has been used on 121 locomotives and 1,465 route  kilometers thus far. Even though Kavach 4.0 will be implemented over 15,512 route  kilometers, its operational coverage still only makes up little more than 2% of the nation’s  roughly 67,000-kilometer rail network. 

Indian Railways has set aside ₹22,800 crore for track repairs, ₹58,895 crore for train stock  and maintenance, ₹8,601 crore for traffic facilities, and ₹6,150 crore for electrification for  FY26. Electronic interlocking, full track circuiting, GPS-based fog safety devices, high strength rails, and quicker signal modernization will all be supported by the projected  increase in safety investment. 

Expert opinions on safety changes 

Although the rise in financing has been praised, other experts warn that safer operations  might not be ensured by financial investment alone. Industry experts note that accountability,  training, maintenance procedures, and organizational discipline all play equally important  roles in preventing accidents. 

Others point out that long-term efforts have already helped to sustainably reduce accidents,  such as the removal of unmanned level crossings, better track condition, LHB coaches, and  electronic signaling. Global mobility and signaling companies like Siemens and Alstom now  have more potential thanks to the increased focus on technology-led solutions.