India: 15 dead after train hits vehicle

20 March 2012 Last updated at 01:10 ET 

A train in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh has collided with a vehicle packed with passengers, killing at least 15 people, officials say.

The crash happened at an unmanned level crossing near Madu railway station in Hathras early on Tuesday.
The express train rammed into the jeep, which carried 17 passengers, dragging it along the track.
Train accidents are common in India, which has one of the world's busiest rail networks.
Railway officials said Tuesday's incident happened when the jeep tried to cross the track as an express train travelling between Mathura and Kasganj was approaching.
Last July at least 38 people were killed whena train hit a bus carrying wedding guests at a level crossing in Patiyali in Uttar Pradesh.
In May 2010 more than 100 people were killed when a Mumbai-bound express train jumped off the tracks into the path of an oncoming goods train in West Bengal. The tracks had been apparently sabotaged by Maoist rebels.
And in July 2010, more than 60 people were killed when a speeding passenger express hit another train waiting at a station in West Bengal.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-17441349

1.    What is the link to Crisis Management?

The link to crisis management is that train related deaths have become a common norm in India. Dozens lose their lives annually due to poorly maintained/regulated railway track systems.

2.    What stage of Crisis Management does the system appear to be at?

From a foreigner perspective, this issue is a full out crisis because people are constantly dying due to poorly maintained railway systems. However it doesn’t seem to be considered a big deal in India because one doesn’t hear about an inquiry being lodged, nor are commission reports available to the public as to why an accident occurred and how it can be prevented.

3.    How well does the system appear to be handling the situation?

The system does not appear to be handling the situation well. Just last July 38 people were killed when a train hit a bus carrying wedding guests in Uttar Pradesh. Similar situations have occurred in other places throughout India and there seems to be no regulatory body stepping in to analyze the situation.

4.    What level of crisis preparedness does the system appear to have?

The system appears to have no level of crisis preparedness at all. This appears to be a constant issue happening. There doesn’t even seem to be a commission or regulatory panel to prevent errors like this from happening again.

5.    What personal reactions/feelings does the description trigger in you?

This situation makes me ask myself how brainless can people be? It also causes anger on the government and railway maintenance authorities. India has such a busy rail network so it’s a shock that there aren’t safety commissions set up to see the root cause of accidents and do something to prevent these from occurring. Having an accident once or twice may be acceptable, but multiple railway related accidents in a year is just ridiculous.

6.    What advice would you offer to those involved?

I would advise the formation of a safety commission if it’s not already in place. More open communication needs to occur between government officials and train companies (depending on how the structure is in India), and an emergency plan needs to be developed. More education needs to be offered to inform people not to cross railway lines. There also needs to be some sort of indication at railway crossings informing drivers if a train is close by.