Passenger safety compromised: CAG flags serious lapses in Nilgiri Mountain railway operations

New Delhi: The Southern Railways compromised passenger safety by deploying deficient coaches as part of a special train service in the Nilgiri Mountain section in July 2023, without securing approval from the Ministry, according to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India. This was revealed in a report tabled in Parliament on Monday. 

In its recommendations, the CAG stated: "Ministry of Railways may develop a robust mechanism for development of prototype coaches in consultation with RDSO and only after successful trial run, regular production of coaches should be started to avoid creation of ineffective and deficient coaches." The report also noted that no response was received from the Ministry on this issue.

The audit, which comprised 25 findings from various railway zones nationwide, uncovered instances of both undercharging and overpayments amounting to Rs 543.17 crore.

One of the key findings related to the Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR), operated under Southern Railways (SR), revealed not only a financial loss of Rs 27.91 crore but also a serious lapse in safety procedures. The report highlighted: "Railway's improper decision, which is like compromising the safety of the passengers by introducing the deficient coaches to serve as Special train without sanction of the Ministry of Railways, is also a serious lapse on the part of the Railways."

To replace 100-year-old coaches operating on the 45.88-km stretch between Mettupalayam and Udagamandalam, SR approached the Railway Ministry in May 2015, requesting that the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) be advised to design and develop a prototype suitable for the NMR.

The Ministry, in July 2015, directed ICF to manufacture a prototype NMR coach in consultation with the Research, Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO), based on technical inputs from SR.

ICF subsequently manufactured 15 coaches and delivered them to SR. A trial run was conducted on 2 April 2019 between Mettupalayam and Udagamandalam using the first four coaches.

However, the report pointed out that the trial was not conducted on the route section containing gradients.

The audit noted: "SR noticed (March 2020) that there was an increase in weight of the new coaches by around 5 tonnes each and advised ICF to reduce the weight in the remaining 13 coaches yet to be manufactured. However, no action was taken by ICF in this regard, and 13 more NMR coaches were manufactured and delivered to SR in three lots."

In total, ICF produced 28 NMR coaches for SR for Rs 27.91 crore. However, the freezing of the design, layout, and manufacturing process occurred without consultation with RDSO and without verifying the successful trial of the prototype coach.

The report observed that although six coaches were modified by SR, trial runs in the gradient section still revealed locomotive wheel slippage, even under favourable weather conditions.

The audit stated: "Despite deficiencies noticed in the trial run, SR introduced weekly special train services from July 15, 2023, between MTP (Mettupalayam) and UAM (Udagamandalam) with the newly manufactured NMR coaches, which were put to use in the special trains. Presently (May 2024), 15 out of the total 28 new NMR coaches have been put to use for operation as weekly special trains without approval of the Railway Board."

The CAG further pointed out: "Thus, an imprudent decision was taken to manufacture 28 new NMR coaches without any consultation with RDSO and also without ascertaining the manufacturing and successful trial of the prototype coach despite clear instruction of MoR (July 2015)."

The audit criticised the decision-making process, stating that SR's finalisation of the design and ICF’s production of the coaches without resolving key concerns, such as excessive coach weight and the locomotive’s hauling capacity, was premature and led to the manufacturing of technically deficient coaches.

As a result, the report concluded, the newly manufactured coaches, worth Rs 27.91 crore, could not be effectively used even three years after production.

The CAG also expressed dissatisfaction with Southern Railways' explanation, which claimed that the deficiencies observed during the trial had been reported to ICF for rectification.

Addressing this, the report stated: "As regards operation of new NMR coaches, it was stated that 18 coaches are being used in weekend or joyride special trains and further service will be improved once sanction is received from the Railway Board."

In response, the audit clarified: "The reply of the SR Administration was not acceptable. Nothing has been stated in the reply regarding manufacturing of 28 new NMR coaches without any consultation with RDSO and also without ascertaining the manufacturing and successful trial of the prototype coach despite clear instruction of MoR."

It added: "Further, it is evident from the reply of the SR administration that the deficient coaches were put to use for operation without obtaining sanction from the Railway Board."