Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently announced a massive safety milestone for the national transporter, stating that the government has successfully eliminated approximately 9,000 unmanned railway crossings in a mission mode over the past ten years. Addressing the Economic Times World Leaders Forum 2026 on August 21, 2026, he highlighted that these dedicated infrastructural interventions have directly contributed to a 90 percent reduction in train accidents compared to the figures recorded prior to 2014. Passengers and railway enthusiasts alike have long viewed unmanned crossings as a major safety vulnerability, making this a transformative shift for everyday rail travel across the country.
- Over 9,000 unmanned railway crossings eliminated since 2014
- Train accidents reduced by 90 percent compared to pre-2014 levels
- Electronic interlocking installed at more than 6,500 railway stations
- Over 10,000 level crossing gates connected to interlocking systems
Infrastructure Upgrades and Safety Measures
The Ministry of Railways further elaborated on the massive scale of ongoing infrastructure modernization across the network. Officials noted that the government has implemented electronic interlocking systems across more than 6,500 railway stations. Additionally, over 10,000 level crossing gates have now been successfully connected to these advanced interlocking systems to ensure seamless and error-free train operations. The complex task of removing vulnerable unmanned crossings was achieved through the rapid construction of road overbridges (ROBs) and road underbridges (RUBs), alongside manually staffing the remaining necessary crossings. While previous official data showed that broad gauge unmanned level crossings were largely addressed by early 2019, the Prime Minister’s recent address highlights the continuous and cumulative safety progress achieved since 2014.