Citation
Wilson, H.C. (2001), "Editorial", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 10 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/dpm.2001.07310aaa.001
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2001, MCB UP Limited
Editorial
A news report of the 9 December 2000 stated that a railway accident in India had caused the deaths of 49 people and that this brought the number of such accidents to a total of 253 for the year 2000. That is seven railway accidents every ten days. Certainly the Indian railway system is extensive and a common mode of long-distance travel for the population, but it does ask the question of where international aid is best used.
Obviously, in the event of sudden natural calamities, then international aid must be channelled in that direction until the effects of such a calamity have been rectified, which may take several years before the affected communities return to normal.
But there are many forms of international and development aid available and with such a loss of life and infrastructure due to these railway accidents perhaps some should or could be diverted to rectifying this tragic solution.
As a regular rail commuter I can appreciate the underlying problems that such accidents disclose. Poor staff training, a cavalier attitude by management, a lack of concern or care for the passengers, old and outdated equipment and rolling stock, poor track maintenance, defective signalling and points systems, poor adherence to scheduled timings, putting investor dividends before passenger concerns or safety, the list of errors seems endless.
Unfortunately, I am not referring to the state of the national rail network of some under-developed or newly developing nation, but to the state of the rail network of the UK where it has taken a series of disastrous events with large loss of life before the government was forced to take action to rectify the situation.
The UK government proudly reminds its citizens that the country is among the five richest nations. If that is so, then pity the citizens of India that is many places behind the UK in that league of richest nations. If the UK with all of its wealth cannot maintain an adequate railway infrastructure then what chance does India have?
Henry C. Wilson