A time is not far off when demands will be made for every railway ticket to carry a statutory warning ~ like on cigarette packs or liquor bottles in some states ~ on the hazards of train travel. For if a tally were made of lives lost on the Indian railway it would probably reveal more fatalities and injuries than those inflicted by terrorists and criminals.

Another 23 have just been added to that “black-list” at Muzaffarnagar after the catastrophic derailment of the Hardwar-bound Utkal Express.

While there is a shameful, cynical, element to the Congress presenting a head-count of railway mishaps since the Narendra Modi administration assumed office (would the party spokesman dare to furnish comparative figures for the UPA regime?), one thing is undisputable ~ Acche Din has eluded the railway system, and Suresh Prabhu is not more competent than any of his recent predecessors.

If is, of course, unfair to single out Prabhu: few of his ministerial colleagues have exhibited the management capabilities of, for example, Amit Shah in a different context. If only the government devoted as much attention to quality governance as electoral success. For the unending spate of rail mishaps adds credence to the criticism that this government is strong on “style”, weak on substance.

It is a moot point if the action taken against eight senior officials after the criminal laxity at Muzaffarnagar will have the desired trickle-down effect. Railway safety begins with the “gang men” who patrol the tracks, those entrusted with track maintenance etc; and the need to motivate them, enhance their job commitment cannot be overemphasised: so too the signalmen, station-masters at remote locations etc. Unless all of them feel they are equal partners in the operation, the “chain” is bound to develop weak links.

As happened in Muzaffarnagar, when track maintenance operations were undertaken without the requisite posting of cautionary signals. Examples of similar negligence can be discerned in almost every derailment ~ the prime cause of mishaps. Has any thought been spared for the working conditions of gang men, permanent way inspectors and their “mates”.

They inhabit a different world from Rail Bhawan and the zonal headquarters. Or Raisina Hill. Hard decisions will have to be taken. For all their self-confidence Narendra Modi, Arun Jatley & Co. must accept that there are limits to headline hunting and put “on hold” fanciful attempts at bullet-trains, luxury coaches and reducing travel-time.

All that is the icing on the cake, the bread and butter needs immediate attention ~ clean trains that adhere to schedule, palatable food, sanitary conditions at railway stations and a manipulation-free reservation mechanism would be good starting points.

And not too trivial for ministerial attention, for in the long run they will not only upgrade rail travel but also attract voters: dead passengers cannot press buttons on EVMs.